《The Villain Of The Horror Game Dreams Of The Heroine Every Night》 Chapter 1 Translator and Editor: Effe and Nabi ©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤ Chapter 1 There is a haunted house on Ave Street. The house used to be quite glamorous. Although, now, the eerie mansion with no windows and covered in molds was the place to test courage for the local children. However, until a few weeks ago, a woman suddenly showed up. ¡°You idiots, get out of here!¡± Even in the chilly weather, a shabby woman with sparse hair in a sheer summer dress, holding a broomstick, was chasing away the children. ¡°Uwaaa!¡± ¡°It¡¯s a black witch!¡± ¡°¡­Phew.¡± Celine sighed as she looked back at the fleeing children. Those children will not know that she was actually protecting them from this cursed house. In fact, her situation does not change whether the children die or not. But, she couldn¡¯t let an innocent life die¡­ It was when Celine was about to move her body to a sunny place. ¡°Ack¡­!¡± For a moment, her ankles seemed to burn. Celine let out her scream and looked down hurriedly. As the viper squirmed, it shoved a fang into her ankle once more. ¡°Aaaaackkk!¡± Celine grabbed her ankle and rolled. She was in so much pain that she could not think anymore. Soon, the pain engulfed her whole body, and darkness came only after struggling for several minutes. No one witnessed her icy body. It was Celine Hunt¡¯s 84th death. *** ¡°Heeeukk¡­!¡± A man groaned in the dark. Cold sweat ran down his pale skin profusely. ¡°Again, that dream¡­?¡± Leonhard Bernoulli, a young northern wolf, got up from his bed and went to the window. It was a quiet night without a single bird crying, though the pounding heart never calmed down. Because he knew that even if he fell asleep again, that woman, Celine, would appear again. Leonhard shut his eyes. In his dream just a moment ago, he had a vivid picture of the woman howling while clutching the ankle bitten by a viper. ¡°Aaaaackkk!¡± Pale and tired, and then she stops breathing¡­ ¡°Uhuk!¡± Holding onto the cup that the servant had prepared in advance, Leonhard drank the cool water to cool himself down. ¡®¡­I¡¯m going crazy.¡¯ And, because of that, he hadn¡¯t slept properly for exactly thirty-nine days. Because every night, in his dreams, a woman named Celine appeared and died horribly. Even the pain, bitterness, and injustice that the woman suffers from dying can be felt by him. For the first few days, the woman was simply terrified. But, as days passed, the spirit of the woman became exhausted, and she even cried out and cursed her own name, ¡®Celine.¡¯ Everyone was worried that the successor of the Grand Duke was getting tired day by day. However, neither the doctor nor the Archmage could come up with a solution. ¡°I have to find her somehow¡­¡± Already a week or so ago, the Bernoulli family¡¯s intelligence network was given an order to find the woman. Nonetheless, no matter how detailed the description was, the empire was vast, and Celine was a rather common name. As a result, Leonhard¡¯s annoyance was at its peak. The informants brought in the first face of a woman they saw. Doubts about whether the woman actually existed circulated among members of the Grand Duchy, but Leonhard dismissed it with a single word. ¡®I just know.¡¯ His senses were telling him that she was a living person somewhere in this empire. Leonhard did not lose hope, as his sense of slaughtering countless enemies had never been wrong. ¡°¡­Did you not sleep today?¡± A calm voice came from behind his back with a feather-light chuckle. Hearing that, Leonhard slowly turned around. An informant from the Bernoulli family, who sneaked in unnoticed, fell to his knees. ¡°I found her.¡± Even upon hearing that, he didn¡¯t wiggle an eyebrow. Rather, it was disappointing how slow it took them. ¡°Twenty years old. Her full name is Celine Hunt. She was the daughter of a fallen noble, and she lives alone on the outskirts of the Capital. It was said that her family died in an accident a few years ago.¡± Listening, Leonhard nodded his head slightly. The description matched exactly the woman of his dreams. ¡°Did you bring her? I will check right away.¡± ¡°That¡­¡± The informant frowned. ¡°Oddly enough, we couldn¡¯t get her out¡­¡± ¡°What do you mean?¡± ¡°No matter how much surveillance, she suddenly disappears¡­¡± A strange conviction seized Leonhard. Because it¡¯s an unusual nightmare, in a way, it goes without saying that the owner would be also unusual as well. ¡°I will go see for myself. Just in time, my father said that he was sending a letter to His Highness Ricardo, so I guess I can deliver it myself.¡± ¡°Young Lord!¡± The informant raised his head and deterred him. ¡°As you can see, both the woman and the house she lives in were unusually dreary. She could be a black witch!¡± At his words, Leonhard laughed. ¡°Isn¡¯t that what people in the world are saying to me?¡± ¡°Young Lord¡­!¡± The informant shouted in shock. ¡°Besides, what about a black witch? It¡¯s my job to cut them down with Rashir.¡± Finishing his words, he then glanced at Rashir, the famous sword standing next to the bed, with affectionate eyes. There was only one person in the Empire who could draw out Rashir, who nullifies all magic with blue flames and inflicts extreme pain on the enemy. A reluctant word came out of the informant¡¯s mouth. ¡°¡­There is no doubting the Young Lord¡¯s abilities.¡± At that, the corners of Leonhard¡¯s lips rose slightly. ¡°If you really think so, then don¡¯t worry.¡± The informant quietly bit his mouth. When Leonhard decided on something, even the Grand Duke and his wife couldn¡¯t change his mind. The next day. And so, Leonhard Bernoulli rode his horse towards the Emperor without an attendant. *** ¡°I die. I don¡¯t die. I die. I don¡¯t die¡­ I die.¡± Celine muttered mournfully as she plucked the daisy flower leaf by leaf. It seemed that she was destined to die today. ¡®How am I going to die today¡­?¡¯ Slowly, she took out and put on thick boots that even the viper¡¯s teeth could not easily penetrate. For fear of being stung by bees, she carefully plucked the flowers as well. In addition, Celine never put fire in the rusty oven for fear of starting a fire. She was worried about tetanus, and she always wore gloves. Still, despite all her efforts, today, Celine will die¡­ She¡¯s the heroine of the horror game [ Celine¡¯s Nightmare ] She cried so much that a tear fell from her eyes, thinking that there was no more to flow. ¡®I¡¯m tired¡­¡¯ Was it a goddamn sin that she likes horror movies and horror games? [ Celine¡¯s Nightmare ] was a game recommended by a friend who knew her well. She was immersed in the story as the cute character goes through a bloody dead-ending in a cursed mansion. After playing all day, the main character barely escapes the threat of death and sees the first ending that makes her happy. The moment she tries to start the second play to see the true ending that tells the true story of the story¡­ She became ¡®Celine¡¯ at the time of the tutorial. The first thing Celine had to get used to in her new life was her death. It had been exactly forty-one days since she got possessed as of today. During that time, Celine died countless times. On the first day, she died five times. It happened three times on the second day. On the third day, for fear of death, she lay motionless all day. It was very stupid. Just like Celine did in the actual game, her limbs gradually paralyzed and she suffocated because she couldn¡¯t even breathe¡­ All the deaths were painful. But, what made Celine suffocate in fear even more than a painful death was the thought that now might be the best time. Celine is now twenty years old. It was still just the tutorial age. In the first stage of the main story, which begins after the tutorial, Celine was twenty-five years old. In other words, five years from now, there will be dead endings that are incomparable to today¡¯s. Recalling that thought, Celine shook her body. It would be nice if there were save points just like in the game. Nonetheless, she just endlessly revived. And, as she continues to feel the pain of death slowly disappearing. It was just like that just yesterday. After she was bitten by a viper, she awoke and found that the wound on her ankle was still sore and her whole body was sore from the poison. It was like the day she died in a fire. When she awoke, Celine was coughing from the ashes, and her whole body was burning as if it had been burned. ¡°I¡¯m immortal. Immortal Celine!¡± Celine exclaimed with joy. She started muttering to herself lately because she¡¯s going crazy if she doesn¡¯t say anything. She has no one to see, anyway. ¡®Ah, except for them¡­¡¯ Celine frowned sharply. A few days ago, people wearing dark masks that she had never seen in the game appeared and went crazy. They captured Celine in an instant and tried to take her out of the mansion. To be honest, she was a little overjoyed. She could get out of this mansion where death lurks everywhere! But, the expectations were quickly dashed. She was tied up, and Celine, loaded in the carriage, returned to the mansion at some point. It was no different than when she tried to escape alone. ¡®Are those humans part of the tutorial¡­?¡¯ She thought the tutorial was annoying and skipped the tutorial halfway through. Celine shook her head. As long as they don¡¯t kill Celine, it doesn¡¯t matter to her. Lately, she has had her head filled with thoughts about how she could die less. The hope that she could get out of the game, or that there would be a fundamental way to stop this death loop, was long gone. The more she tried to escape from the game, the more horribly she died. Celine moved her steps slowly. Because she was wearing a thin dress, her body shivered. If she doesn¡¯t get in quickly, she¡¯ll die of the flu. ¡ªCreak! Out of nowhere, she could hear the door open wide. Celine hurriedly turned her body. Her eyes widened spontaneously and her mouth opened. A really, really handsome man was breathing heavily and staring straight at Celine. The pale blue eyes burned with emotions that were unknown to her. ¡°Who¡­ who are you?¡± A puzzled question flowed from her mouth. She couldn¡¯t do anything but stare at the man¡¯s face as if possessed. It was as though her whole body froze. Although she felt like a fool, Celine couldn¡¯t help it. He was a handsome man who could make you believe he was a Greek statue carved with the soul of a human being. Even the deep dark circles under his eyes sparkling like sapphires looked like essentials for a handsome man soaked in rain. The man¡¯s eyes narrowed, and his sexy lips moved. Celine followed the movement of his lips as if bewitched. A beep sounded from the side of her chest ¡®who the hell is this man?¡¯, though she ignored it. A soft voice escaped from his handsome lips. ¡°I thought you were going to die, but you look perfectly fine.¡± ¡°Yes¡­?¡± ¡°Say. Why are you dying in my dreams?¡± ¡°Who, who are you¡ª¡± Celine bit her lips. It was because she recognized the pattern embroidered on the man¡¯s right chest. A pure white rose trapped in a thorn vine. Grand Duchy Bernoulli¡¯s coat of arms. ¡­The man was Leonhard Bernoulli, the villain of [ Celine¡¯s Nightmare ] ©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤ Join our discord to receive the latest updates as soon as possible! Chapter 2 Translator and Editor: Effe and Nabi ©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤ Chapter 2 Celine¡¯s pupils widened. ¡®This can¡¯t be happening¡­!¡¯ Even if lightning strikes the dry sky, she wouldn¡¯t be so surprised. Her hands trembled, and she stepped back. The sound of her chest pounding seemed to ring in her ears. ¡°As expected, you have something.¡± The man¡¯s face contorted badly. Celine wanted to hit her chest. The moment she saw his face, she should have noticed¡­ The black hair like a raven¡¯s wings, blue eyes that look like the eyes of a beast, and the pale skin, everything closely resembles Leonhard Bernoulli in the game. However, because a two-dimensional character became a real person and appeared as a handsome man, who took away the soul of a human being, it couldn¡¯t be easily recognized¡­! As she was lost in her thoughts, Leonhard Bernoulli walked towards Celine. At that point, she didn¡¯t think of anything anymore. Celine just turned her back and ran. Leonhard was the heroine¡¯s greatest enemy¡ªbecause forty-eight of the one hundred and nine dead endings came from him. The heroine trembled at the sight of Leonhard¡¯s shadow. ¡®The first stage hasn¡¯t even started yet!¡¯ Right now, it¡¯s a tutorial. Originally, Leonhard was a promising heir to the Grand Duke of the North, but through some kind of incident, he turns into a slayer who enjoys killing. Nonetheless, five more years had to pass for Leonhard, who had turned black, to come and kill Celine. ¡®Why, why did you appear? It¡¯s still a long way from blackening!¡¯ Not a single question Leonhard posed had remained in Celine¡¯s mind. All she had in her mind was the idea that she had to run away from Leonhard, who pursued her like a wild beast. ¡°Haaa, haaa¡­!¡± Celine ran up the stairs of the mansion. She didn¡¯t forget to dodge some stairs that would cause her to lose balance and fall to death if she stepped on them. ¡°Stop, Black Witch!¡± She felt embarrassed for a moment, and tears seemed to come out of her eyes. ¡®I can¡¯t believe I am called a black witch!¡¯ How nice would it be to be a real black witch? Then, she could turn Leonhardt into a toad right away. Celine ran down the hallway without hesitation. It was worthwhile scouring this labyrinthine mansion, dying dozens of times searching for money and food. But, she didn¡¯t know that Leonhard had also experienced this mansion dozens of times. Right through the dream of her dying. At that, she felt like her heart was about to explode because of Leonhard following her with a terrifying momentum. ¡®You monster, are you sure this is your first time here? Even in hardcore mode, you didn¡¯t follow me that well!¡¯ At the end of the dead-end hallway, a narrow staircase appeared. Now, there was only one place she could go¡ªthe attic with access to the roof. With that thought, Celine licked her lips nervously. Since she became Celine, she hadn¡¯t climbed once. Because the roof was where death lurks¡­ ¡®Still¡­ Better than being caught.¡¯ Unlike the game, even if you die, you do not go back to save points. If she was captured by that atrocious Leonhard, it seemed as if she would die endlessly and be resurrected over and over again. ¡®If I confirm that I will be resurrected, I may throw myself into the furnace. As soon as I come back to life, I melt in the fire¡­¡¯ Celine ran up the stairs with wobbly legs. When she lifted the door to the attic, the squeaky sound of hinges and the smell of dust hit her. Still, she threw her body into a pit of dust. Celine couldn¡¯t afford to think deeply. As she jumped up, she saw a window leading to the roof. ¡°¡­Uhk!¡± The door on the attic floor swung open, and Leonhard¡¯s sculptural face popped out. Thump. Thump. Thump. Her heart was beating so fast that her whole body trembled. Tears welled up in Celine¡¯s eyes. She didn¡¯t want to be caught. She slammed the window open and pulled her body out. The roof was as wide as the palm of her hand, but it looked like it could be walked on. ¡°What are you doing?!¡± Despite Leonhardt¡¯s reluctance, Celine put one foot on the roof. Her legs were trembling. There will be less than 1% chance that she will escape through the roof unharmed without dying herself. Nevertheless, she could not be caught by Leonhardt, so she had no choice but to cling to the weak potential. However, luck was not on her side. The moment she took a careful step on the roof. ¡ªBang! Pain hit Celine¡¯s head. In that brief moment, tears flowed from her blue-gray eyes. She really, really didn¡¯t want to die. Even if she died several times a day, she couldn¡¯t get used to death, and the pain gradually gnawed at her reason. Celine barely managed to stay sane because she could have died less if she tried. But, now Leonhard has appeared. Five years earlier than expected. Now, any effort to die the least will be futile. ¡­Only endless suffering awaited her. ¡®Please, please. May there be a little bit of compassion from Leonhard¡­¡¯ Finally, Celine¡¯s eyes closed. * * * ¡°Crazy¡­!¡± Leonhardt¡¯s cursing echoed through the dusty attic. What did that witch do¡­! Looking down through the window, Celine Hunt had her neck broken on the ground with her neck in an oddly bent position. Her shiny blonde hair was instantly entangled in the blood that flowed from her head. Leonhard hurriedly ran out of the attic and then exited the mansion. He was able to find the way easily because he had seen the structure in his dreams dozens of times. Celine Hunt didn¡¯t even move. As he put his hand carefully to her nose, he couldn¡¯t even feel her weak breath. ¡®¡­.¡¯ Her blood had cooled. Celine Hunt has just, actually died because of Leonhard himself. At the same time, she proved her own innocence. If she was a black witch, she wouldn¡¯t be able to die from a fall this much. Leonhard buried his face in his hands. Guilt crept into his chest. He had no intention of doing any harm. He was only trying to find out the truth about her, though the woman fled as soon as she heard his words. She¡¯s like someone who wouldn¡¯t want to be caught. For a moment, he only thought that she might be the Black Witch and that his own nightmares might be for this woman to blame. Leonhard blinked his eyes nervously. In any case, since someone died because of him, he should report it to the government office and pay the right price for his sins¡­ ¡°¡­What?¡± Leonhard couldn¡¯t believe his eyes. Celine Hunt¡¯s strangely broken neck turned and her big blue-grey eyes looked straight at him. ¡°Wh¡ªwhat¡­?¡± Leonhard put his hand on his waist to take out his sword, Rashir, which he had not taken out even when pursuing her inside the mansion. No matter how strong magic is, it cannot revive the dead. That meant that she could only pretend to be dead by deceiving with black magic. ¡°Please, please don¡¯t kill me!¡± ¡°Black Witch! I, Leonhard Bernoulli, will punish you as the master of Rashir! Be honored!¡± Celine wanted to cry. That stupid man is trying to kill her again. The pain of falling to death is still vivid, but if she is struck by Rashir, who splits a person into seven pieces, she will go crazy. As Rashir¡¯s blade burned blue, Celine squeezed her eyes shut and shouted. ¡°Even if you cut me with Rashir, I will come back to life!¡± ¡°What¡­?¡± No pain was felt. Because of that, she slowly opened her eyes. There, Leonhard was staring at her with sharp eyes, but it wasn¡¯t a bad situation when she saw that he had put Rashir in the sheath. ¡°No matter how I die, I will live again.¡± ¡°¡­But, Rashir would be different.¡± Leonhard¡¯s answer was stubborn, though Celine answered confidently. ¡°It¡¯s the same. I will die, and I will come back to life.¡± Rashir will inflict her with pain she has never felt before. However, it will not end her life forever. ¡°I can¡¯t believe it. Did you just die? You aren¡¯t pretending to be dead?¡± At his words, Celine swallowed a gulp. ¡®He has to see me die again and come back to life, for him to believe it completely.¡¯ And so, slowly, she started walking first. ¡°Follow me.¡± Fortunately, instead of threatening Celine to stop, Leonhard followed her. Then, she stood on the porch and swallowed. The stuffed head of the deer looked down at her serenely. Pulling the cabinet under the stuffed head of the deer, and venom powder will overtake her. ¡®¡­Well, it wasn¡¯t a very painful death.¡¯ She had to somehow convince Leonhard. With that thought, Celine reached out her arm to open the cabinet, though she didn¡¯t get what she wanted. In an instant, her body floated off the ground. Leonhard was screaming and pulling her hard. ¡°What are you doing!¡± ¡°Let me go. I don¡¯t mean to do anything weird.¡± Celine answered angrily, but she immediately froze. It was because words that could never come out of Leonhard¡¯s mouth flowed out. ¡°Crazy? Do you want to die again?¡± Celine clenched her mouth with a bewildered look. She was numb as though she had been hit in the head. She asked him, stuttering. ¡°How¡­ How?¡± ¡°That¡¯s right.¡± Leonhard let out a sound that was closer to a groan than a word. His own guess was correct. The woman in front of him was really about to die. ¡­Like in his dream ¡®¡­.!¡¯ In an instant, realization struck him. He gently shook the woman with a still blank face. ¡°Snap out of it. When did you get bitten by a viper?¡± ¡°¡­It was yesterday.¡± ¡°Not the day before yesterday? No, let me tell you. The rusty chandelier fell and broke your neck, right?¡± ¡°¡­.¡± ¡°And, you died two more times trying to remove all the chandeliers in the house.¡± Still puzzled, Celine managed to answer Leonhard¡¯s words in full. ¡°¡­That¡¯s right. That¡¯s right!¡± His voice lit up with strange excitement. ¡°Ha! God, I have finally found rest.¡± Celine looked nervously at Leonhard with an overjoyed expression on his face. ¡°Did you know that you appear in my dreams?¡± ¡°What? Me¡­?¡± She was so startled that she almost bit her tongue. Come to think of it, she seems to remember Leonhard saying something similar earlier. Although she couldn¡¯t hear it at all. ¡°Yes. Every day¡­ you show up every day and I can¡¯t sleep at all.¡± ¡°No way¡­¡± Pondering, Celine¡¯s gaze rested on Leonhard¡¯s dark, dark circles. Only then did she realize why he had come to find her. ¡°You saw me die in the dream. That¡¯s why you couldn¡¯t sleep and found me¡­¡± ¡°You died endlessly.¡± Celine replied bitterly. ¡°Because I really died that way. This is a curse. I die endlessly and come back to life.¡± ¡°¡­.¡± Leonhard looked down at the woman one head smaller than himself. He didn¡¯t notice when she was running away earlier, though when he looked closely now, she was a very slender woman. She hadn¡¯t eaten properly. Shivering in a thin dress, her skinny body was unsuitable for the weather. ¡°¡­That¡¯s why you died like that.¡± ¡°What?¡± Leonhard coughed once and made a solemn declaration. ¡°Celine Hunt, I will not allow you to die in the future.¡± ©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤ Join our discord to receive the latest updates as soon as possible! Chapter 3 Translator and Editor: Effe and Nabi ©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤ Chapter 3 Celine was lost for a moment, then protested fiercely. ¡°I am not dying because I want to die!¡± ¡°Really? Wearing clothes like that in this weather would be suicidal.¡± ¡°¡­.¡± Celine couldn¡¯t refute. No matter how much she looked around the house, the only clothes she had were a thin summer dress and a pair of pajamas she was wearing at the time of possession. It was now November, and it was exceedingly cold. However, she thought she would go crazy if she stayed in the house that killed her, so she sat in the yard whenever possible. ¡°¡­Come to think of it, you got the flu and died. So, why don¡¯t you wear thick clothes?¡± Leonhard awakened his memories of Celine with an earnest voice. ¡°I have no clothes¡­¡± ¡°You don¡¯t have a pair of winter clothes? Does that even make sense?¡± ¡°This is all I have,¡± Celine replied frankly. ¡°¡­.¡± This time, Leonhard made a face of a big shock. ¡°How could that be¡­!¡± ¡°Would you like to check it out?¡± ¡°No, that¡¯s okay.¡± He waved his hand as he glanced over the ruined mansion. ¡°Because I¡¯ve had enough of this place.¡± Broken windows, rusty doors, and walls covered with ivy reminded him of the nightmare. He shuddered. ¡®I¡¯ll dream of it tonight, too.¡¯ Seeing him frowned like that, Celine let out a small laugh. ¡°Well, I don¡¯t like it either.¡± ¡°Fortunately. Now, you will live in the North.¡± ¡°Yes¡­?¡± Leonhard raised his eyebrows at Celine¡¯s stunned reaction. Even before he got here, he had planned to take this woman to the north to investigate. He, of course, never thought of the possibility that she would refuse. Since he thought anyone would welcome the option of living somewhere other than this collapsing mansion. ¡°Why, don¡¯t you like it?¡± ¡°Oh, no, it¡¯s not that I don¡¯t like it¡­¡± Suddenly, Leonhard¡¯s face hardened when he remembered the report of his informant. ¡°Come to think of it, my agents were trying to pick you up, but somehow, they lost you. Do you happen to like this house so much¡­?¡± ¡°Were those your agents?¡± At his words, she exclaimed in surprise. ¡°Yes. If you like this house that much, I can¡¯t force you.¡± ¡°No! Well, it¡¯s absolutely not like that. It¡¯s a curse, too, and I can¡¯t go far from this house. That¡¯s it.¡± ¡°What if you go far?¡± ¡°I feel like a veil is pushing me away. If I go out further, at some point, I will come back to the house.¡± A small wrinkle appeared on Leonhard¡¯s forehead, looking down at Celine¡¯s trembling body. ¡°¡­Maybe, that was it.¡± ¡°Huh?¡± ¡°I think I know. How to break your curse.¡± Celine¡¯s heart pounded at that. Her eyes widened, and she heard someone scream in her ear. ¡®This curse! Solvable¡­!¡¯ Leonhard realized what she was expecting only after the tears rolled down the corners of Celine¡¯s eyes. ¡°Not the curse of dying and reviving, but the curse that cannot allow you to be removed from this house.¡± ¡°Ah.¡± Celine strained her tight arms helplessly. She¡¯d be lying to say she wasn¡¯t disappointed, though it was better than having to be stuck in this horrendous house with nothing but rust. Besides, this Leonhard¡­ He looked fine. Leonhard of the game stood with blood in his eyes, and lived a life closer to a beast than a human. However, this man in front of her was a neat noble no matter where she looked. Celine thought for a moment. It wasn¡¯t easy for her to remember the slightly loose settings at the beginning of the game. Leonhard Bernoulli¡­ A young northern wolf, master of the famous sword Rashir, and protector of the Empire. As the only magic swordsman in the Empire, a heavy burden was placed on his shoulders to slay all warlocks and demons. It would be natural that Leonhard, who accepted the burden when he was only fifteen, eventually blackened. The reason he blackened, or the real reason he wanted to kill the main character of the game, could only be known from the true ending. ¡®If I had known this would be the case, I would have watched the ending spoilers¡­¡¯ A sigh escaped Celine¡¯s mouth. She doesn¡¯t like spoilers, so she didn¡¯t know that avoiding them would be such a regret. Leonhard had not yet spoken properly, yet his words to go to the North meant that he would help her not die. ¡®No, I might have to think of it as a means of monitoring.¡¯ With that thought, she rubbed her forehead slightly. The decision wasn¡¯t really easy. ¡®It¡¯s taking a long time.¡¯ Leonhard waited patiently for Celine Hunt¡¯s decision. She looked in trouble and muttered with her mouth as if she didn¡¯t care about him, who was in front of her. ¡®Yes, no matter how cursed the house is, it won¡¯t be easy for her to leave her own house.¡¯ Finally, Celine raised her head. Leonhard had to try not to look surprised. It was because her eyes were full of determination he had never seen before. ¡°Good. Please, get me out of here.¡± ¡°Don¡¯t expect too much. It may fail.¡± ¡°¡­It¡¯s been a while since I expected something.¡± The bitterness felt in the answer was quite strong. Leonhard flinched slightly and changed the topic. ¡°It¡¯s not far to the north. In the meantime, let me know what I need to watch out for. I saw everything that happened in the last month and a half in a dream.¡± ¡°Well¡­¡± Celine hesitated for a moment. ¡°Is there more?¡± ¡°No, there are too many.¡± Leonhard frowned. Does she mean it wasn¡¯t a month and a half ago that this woman started dying? After arranging her thoughts for a moment, she immediately began pouring out the list. ¡°Even if I climb a high mountain, I die.¡± ¡°I don¡¯t like mountain climbing.¡± ¡°Even if I get on a boat, I die.¡± ¡°¡­So fragile.¡± ¡°If a horse runs too fast, I die.¡± ¡°¡­.¡± Leonhard¡¯s eyes flashed with annoyance. Looking at that, she quickly added a word. ¡°Ah, you kill me the most!¡± ¡°What¡­?¡± Oops. Celine wanted to find someone to whom she would confide in her plight, and cut off the words which she had uttered out of excitement. Leonhard¡¯s hand moved toward the scabbard. ¡°What does that mean?¡± She bit her lip nervously. She cannot say she came from another world. Somehow, Celine had to come up with an excuse that he would believe¡­ ¡°Can you see the future?¡± ¡°¡­Yes.¡± Celine¡¯s mouth burned to a crisp. ¡°Still, I¡¯m not a black witch. Please believe me.¡± ¡°Pfft.¡± ¡°Huh¡­?¡± ¡°Haa¡ªHa, ha, ha!¡± Seeing Leonhard shaking his body and laughing, Celine¡¯s mind went blank. Leonhard wiped the tears from his eyes. How long has it been since he laughed out loud like this? It was clear that the woman in front of him had never even seen a warlock. ¡°If I had thought you were a black witch, you would have been slashed sooner.¡± ¡°Ah¡­¡± ¡°If you were a black witch, the moment I took out Rashir, you would have used black magic earlier. But, you never attacked me.¡± ¡°That¡¯s why you took your sword¡­¡± Leonhard smiled brightly and tapped his sword. ¡°Because Rashir is not a sword to be so easily defiled. Now, tell me. What future did you see?¡± ¡°¡­You said you were dreaming of me dying.¡± ¡°Yes.¡± ¡°I dream that in the future, I will die.¡± Leonhard¡¯s eyebrows twitched. ¡°Did it all come true?¡± ¡°Some are, and some are not. Although you showed up often and killed me.¡± ¡°Hmm.¡± Leonhard patted his chin and thought for a moment. Now, this woman is definitely not a black witch. However, no one knows the future. If he himself actually killed this woman, it would when this woman became a black witch. ¡°You think that one day I will become a black witch.¡± ¡°No¡­?¡± Celine opened her rabbit eyes and looked up at Leonhard. ¡°I don¡¯t believe in prophets.¡± He honestly didn¡¯t believe it. If he believed it, Leonhard should have killed her right away. A red star fell from the sky at the very moment when Grand Duke Bernoulli¡¯s successor was born. All the prophets said that Leonhard was an omen that would later bring great calamity to the Empire. Nonetheless, the Grand Duke of the North dismissed them all as futile superstitions, and from an early age, he taught his son not to listen to the prophets¡¯ nonsense. It was impossible for him to listen to the words of such a novice prophet. ¡°Well, it doesn¡¯t matter if you don¡¯t believe me as long as you don¡¯t kill me.¡± Celine really didn¡¯t care. Leonhard held out his hand to her. ¡°I¡¯m not going to kill you, so just follow me.¡± *** Celine buried her face in the thick coat that Leonhard had taken off. It was the first time she rode a horse, though she was not afraid because Leonhard rode it very carefully. ¡°Are you okay? Are you in pain? Are you dizzy?¡± ¡°Nothing.¡± Leonhard drove his horse with a suspicious expression. A terrible nightmare is already reserved for tonight. Because of his carelessness, he did not want to have another one. ¡°Aack!¡± Suddenly, Celine let out a small scream and curled up her body. Leonhard pulled the reins and stopped. ¡°I can¡¯t go any further.¡± She sighed heavily and her body trembled. ¡°Is it here?¡± Leonhard narrowed his eyes. They were on the road with nothing unusual in appearance. However, Celine nodded her head confidently. ¡°Yes.¡± Without hesitation, Leonhard pulled Rashir from the scabbard. ¡°What, what are you doing¡­¡± She was terrified and tried to stop Leonhard, but he moved without hesitation and cut through the air with Rashir. ¡ªChing! There was the sound of something breaking. Celine looked at Rashir as if possessed. Nothing changed in the air, but Rashir¡¯s look shone red. It was as though it had cut black magic. ¡®No way¡­¡¯ Leonhard put in his sword. ¡°It¡¯s a silly barrier.¡± ¡°It¡¯s a barrier¡­¡± She let out a moan. Celine thought that what stopped her was a system of the game that she could never disobey. But, it was just a barrier¡­ Something a character in this world can destroy. The horse began to move slowly. Celine lifted her body upright at the tension. Goosebumps crawled all over her body. How long has she been through here, and how far could she go before she might return to that dreadful mansion¡­? ¡°Don¡¯t be too nervous. You might die again.¡± ¡°¡­.¡± Celine couldn¡¯t answer. Suffocation rose to the end of her throat. Nevertheless, after a while, nothing has changed, and nothing has happened¡­ She was still on the horseback. ¡°Really¡­ It really is.¡± ¡°I don¡¯t like lies.¡± Looking ahead, the well-polished road was coloured with a red sunset. ¡­A road she never passed before. The horse moved slowly, and a world she had never seen before unfolded before her. An unfamiliar feeling rose from the side of her chest. The feelings she thought she couldn¡¯t grasp anymore¡­ Hope. Tears welled up in Celine¡¯s eyes. ¡°¡­.?¡± Leonhard¡¯s brow twitched. A woman in his arms was crying, shaking her body slightly. ¡°Are you ill?¡± ¡°Oh, no!¡± She hurriedly shook her head. ¡°Then, why are you crying?¡± Leonhard asked suspiciously. Celine looked straight ahead with her eyes still dripping with tears. ¡°¡­I am so, so happy.¡± He had never shed tears of joy, so he couldn¡¯t understand Celine. Still, he didn¡¯t want to question the shuddering woman who leaned her body on him. Leonhard quietly pulled the woman into his arms. ¡°¡­.!¡± ¡°I¡¯m afraid you¡¯re going to fall.¡± As he spoke bluntly and embraced her, there was only one thing Celine could say. ¡°Thank you.¡± She closed her eyes. After a long time, the warmth of someone enveloped Celine. ©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤ Join our discord to receive the latest updates as soon as possible! Chapter 4 Translator and Editor: Effe and Nabi ©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤ Chapter 4 It wasn¡¯t long before they reached their destination. Leonhard carefully stopped the horse, then helped Celine get off the horse. The employee came right up and dragged the horse somewhere. She glanced up at the dazzling building. Through the wide-open gate, people wrapped in colorful clothes came and went. It seemed to be a noble mansion with whom the Bernoulli family was acquainted. He opened his mouth with a tone of displeasure. ¡°I should go to the villa, but my father doesn¡¯t like it, so I can¡¯t use it right now.¡± ¡°Where are we?¡± ¡°Grand Hotel. First time seeing it?¡± Celine¡¯s head paused for a moment. ¡®Was there a hotel in this game¡­?¡¯ When she was led into the lobby by Leonhard¡¯s hand, she was still dazed. ¡®It¡¯s dazzling¡­¡¯ She couldn¡¯t find a place to set her eyes on the chandelier hanging from the ceiling, the gold leaf decorations everywhere, and the marble wall. Looking down involuntarily, she could see a marble floor with dark red patterns in it. ¡®That¡¯s amazing.¡¯ Of course, it¡¯s a place where the heir of the Grand Duke will lie down, so it¡¯s only natural that it¡¯s not an ordinary place. The manager with half bald hair and belly protruding leaped out. ¡°Oh, my Lord! How long has it been?¡± ¡°It¡¯s been about three years.¡± ¡°If you had sent a messenger beforehand, you wouldn¡¯t have been waiting like this¡­ Though this lady¡­?¡± ¡°She¡¯s with me.¡± ¡°I am Celine Hunt. Nice to meet you.¡± ¡°Ah, ah, it¡¯s nice to meet you.¡± The manager glanced at her in amazement as Celine introduced herself proudly. She didn¡¯t care. She didn¡¯t care what others thought of her as long as she no longer died. ¡°The room?¡± ¡°Of course, it is ready. Morgan! It¡¯s the peony room.¡± Celine followed the staff slowly as she uttered a sudden thought. ¡°Wouldn¡¯t it be better to have two rooms?¡± ¡°Do you need two?¡± ¡°I don¡¯t think it¡¯s a good idea to share the same room?¡± She stared at Leonhard¡¯s face, puzzled, but he looked as bewildered as she was. ¡°Why do you think so?¡± ¡°That is¡­ that¡¯s okay.¡± Celine gave up the explanation and shrugged her shoulders. As long as the bed is separate, it doesn¡¯t matter. ¡®He¡¯s stingier than he looks.¡¯ But, Celine realized how foolish she was in her thoughts the moment the staff opened the door. It was because when the door opened, a short hallway, a small hall, and a dozen or so doors could be seen. ¡°This room is¡­ Is everything like this?¡± ¡°Like this?¡± ¡°This is a house, not a room!¡± ¡°Is this a house? Where do you see a house like this?¡± ¡°Of course, I would expect a room with only a bed¡­¡± Leonhard asked with an absurd tone, ¡°Did you think we could only rent a bedroom? Where can I find a hotel that rents out like that?¡± ¡®I think there¡¯s a lot.¡¯ Although Celine did not dare to speak the truth. He then pointed to the door carved with a little angel blowing the trumpet. ¡°This is my younger sister¡¯s bedroom. Everything a woman needs will be provided there, so use it.¡± Celine opened the door without thinking, and she took a breath. A starry sky unfolded. There were soft purple carpets on the floor, and murals depicting flower gardens realistically on every wall. On one wall, there was a fireplace for this room only. Most of all, the bed caught Celine¡¯s eyes. A huge, fluffy bed without any traps. As Celine was about to run to the bed, forgetting her face, the staff hesitated and asked. ¡°Lord, how about dinner?¡± ¡°Oh, send it right away.¡± Meal¡­! Suddenly, the world felt beautiful. She hadn¡¯t eaten anything hot until now. It was about a day¡¯s happiness to buy the cheapest and most hard bread at the local bakery with a few pennies from the mansion. However, lately, even that has fallen apart, so eating wheat flour with a sour smell in water was a meal. Saliva ran down Celine¡¯s neck. Just the thought of being able to eat ordinary food made her feel full. ¡°Is there any food you can¡¯t eat?¡± ¡°Nothing! Everything is good!¡± Celine¡¯s eyes twinkled. Moments later, she gazed at the silver plates that were laid out one by one on the huge mahogany table. Steaming soup, bread that looks more delicious than the most expensive menu item at the local bakery, salad full of fresh vegetables, beef stew that just smells enchanting, and grilled salmon with bursting trout roe¡­ She carefully scooped it out and ate it for a while, and the food placed in front of her soon disappeared. Leonhard looked down at the woman sitting opposite him, smiling as if she had everything in the world. ¡°I guess you don¡¯t hate food.¡± ¡°Is that possible?¡± Celine mumbled, savoring the lemon sorbet that melted in her tongue. ¡°I thought you were so thin because you didn¡¯t like the food itself. I¡¯ve seen cases like that around.¡± ¡°I couldn¡¯t eat because I didn¡¯t have it?¡± As she poured a cup of hot tea, she let out a happy sigh. ¡°It¡¯s good.¡± ¡°I¡¯m glad you like it.¡± ¡°I really like it.¡± She then opened her mouth as she stood up from her seat before stumbling for a moment. A big meal after a month and a half made her a little dizzy. Leonhard, who immediately hardened his body, caught her eye. ¡°I think it¡¯s because I ate too much.¡± ¡°Be careful. One kind of nightmare a day is enough.¡± ¡°From tomorrow on, you won¡¯t be dreaming at all, so what are you worried about?¡± ¡°That¡¯s something you don¡¯t know.¡± Leonhard replied bitterly. ¡°I don¡¯t know if you only die in that house, but there have been times when you tripped over a stone and died while walking. You have to be careful.¡± ¡°¡­You really have seen it all.¡± ¡°And, I will see it again today.¡± Leonhard grimaced at her face and stood up. ¡°Would you like to go in and rest?¡± ¡°Yes!¡± Celine answered vigorously, and she approached the door. ¡°Have a nice dream¡ªAh, uh, um¡­ cheer up!¡± ¡°¡­.¡± He coughed absurdly, though Celine jumped into the bed, didn¡¯t notice him. ¡®It¡¯s fluffy!¡¯ ¡°Ah¡­¡± A moan of satisfaction escaped from her mouth. She wanted to quickly throw away these messy clothes and dig into the duvet. ¡®Do they have pajamas? I like a gown, too.¡¯ She rolls around for a moment and then jumps up to her feet because Celine could see a space covered by thick curtains. ¡®What is that?¡¯ She slowly walked over, enjoying the soft touch of her carpet, and pulled the curtains wide open. ¡®Huh¡­?¡¯ An old-fashioned wooden bathtub appeared. Celine couldn¡¯t keep her gaping mouth shut. Even in that terrible mansion, there was a bathtub, but when the water was turned on, rust mixed with insects dropped and she would run away. Celine struggled to turn on the huge faucet. Hot steam poured out. She couldn¡¯t control the corners of her lips that kept rising. It¡¯s a bath! She hadn¡¯t washed her body properly before, so much that she thought she was lucky in the cool weather. All she had to do was pour water directly from the well and pour it all over her body. But now, a bathtub full of hot, warm water was in front of her. Celine threw her clothes off. She wasn¡¯t cold at all thanks to the steam coming up from the bathtub. ¡ªSplash! Warm water wrapped around her body. Celine stretched out her weary body. The bathtub was big enough for two adults to lie on. ¡°So good¡­¡± Comfort words came out of Celine¡¯s mouth. It was the first time since she was thrown into a life where death lurks. Her stomach was full, she was soaking in warm water, and a comfy bed awaited her. But now, Celine was so full that her heart couldn¡¯t be explained by her physical satisfaction alone. Soon, she found the answer. It was a relief from safety. She no longer had to pick up rotting food for fear of starvation, or to find pennies and died dozens of times in traps. Leonhard will provide her safety, for his sleep. Celine tried to think a little more about herself and his situation, but the water was so warm and her weary body was relaxing. Moments later, she drifted into a deep sleep. *** ¡°Kyaak!¡± Leonhard, who was in the largest bedroom in the peony room, picked up Rashir and ran out of the room. His heart sank. A constant scream was heard from Celine¡¯s bedroom. It wasn¡¯t the scream he had heard dozens of times in his dreams, but the scream of an unfamiliar voice. ¡°What¡¯s going on!¡± ¡°Young, young lord¡ªla, la, lady, lady is¡­!¡± The hotel maid, still confused, could not utter her words properly. At that, he hurriedly walked past the maid, half clinging to him, and entered Celine¡¯s bedroom. ¡°¡­.!¡± Leonhard¡¯s eyes shook. A naked woman was half draped in the bathtub. Her skinny body that her shoulder bones stood out didn¡¯t even move as much. ¡°Originally, sh¡ªshe, she, is completely asleep¡­ The breath, breath, breathing¡­¡± Just when the maid was sobbing and explaining the situation, the water in the bathtub fluctuated, and she moved. The maid took her breath. Leonhard turned his back to leave the room. His head hurt. A long night awaited him. Celine looked at the maid in front of her with perplexed eyes. It had been a long time since the tension had been released, so it seemed that she had just dived into the water and almost drowned. It was comforting to know that she fell asleep and did not know that she was going to die. ¡°Sorry. Are you very surprised?¡± ¡°Are, are you okay? A¡ªah, you couldn¡¯t breathe earlier¡­¡± The maid looked at Celine with terrified eyes. ¡°I¡¯m perfectly fine! Look, I¡¯m able to breathe with ease, right?¡± Celine puffed her vigorously. To be honest, with this kind of death, she didn¡¯t mind so much that she thought she could die a thousand more times. Meanwhile, the maid looked at her, not sure if she should laugh or cry. ¡°Well, why did you come in?¡± ¡°Young, Young Lord came too quickly, so I couldn¡¯t prepare enough. I¡¯m going to do it now.¡± She felt guilty at the thought of how surprised this poor maid must have been, but Celine only nodded her head because it was an inevitable ¡°Do you have any towels?¡± ¡°Yes¡­¡± The maid, still confused, brought her a towel large enough to cover Celine¡¯s body. ¡°Don¡¯t you have pajamas?¡± ¡°There is a gown¡­¡± It was exactly what Celine wanted. While she wiped her body and put on the gown, the maid repeatedly asked her if she needed a doctor. ¡°I¡¯m very fine. I¡¯m a lot stronger than I look, right? You don¡¯t have to worry.¡± The maid lit the fireplace and went back. On the other hand, Celine buried her body in a warm blanket, and she tried to enjoy the luxury of sleeping in an expensive bed. Knock, knock. Celine frowned. Nevertheless, something had happened because of her, and she just couldn¡¯t pretend to be asleep. ¡°Come on in.¡± Leonhard entered the room slowly. Through the nightgown, his strong body could be seen. The urge to run away again wrapped around her. But, he didn¡¯t frown or make a threatening gesture, but her heart raced at the pressure she felt. Leonhard¡¯s intense eyes looked straight at her. ¡°¡­What was it this time?¡± ¡°I fell asleep.¡± ¡°Haa¡­¡± A long sigh escaped Leonhard¡¯s mouth. ¡°I¡¯m sorry¡­¡± ¡°Well, you can¡¯t help it, but be careful.¡± ¡°Okay.¡± Celine made no excuses. In any case, Leonhard will have a rather painful night tonight because of her carelessness. ¡°Now, at least I won¡¯t drown while taking a bath. Even if I look like this, my memory is good.¡± ¡°¡­You¡¯ve got a good memory, though you¡¯re too clumsy.¡± Celine, whom Leonhard sees in her dreams, remembers all the traps she once died from, although she was a woman who stumbled over a stone and died. ¡°I¡¯m sorry. I¡¯ll be careful from now on.¡± ¡°¡­.¡± Leonhard didn¡¯t answer what he was thinking. Meanwhile, Celine, almost fell asleep, barely came to her senses. ¡°If you don¡¯t have anything else to say, I¡¯ll just sleep.¡± At that, his eyebrows twitched as she tried to support her heavy eyelids. ¡°There is¡­¡± ¡°What?¡± Leonhard¡¯s distinctive assertive words hit Celine. ¡°I will sleep here tonight.¡± ©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤ Join our discord to receive the latest updates as soon as possible! Chapter 5 Translator and Editor: Effe and Nabi ©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤ Chapter 5 Celine was half bouncing out of bed. ¡®What the hell is this man saying¡ª!¡¯ Even Leonhard looked quite puzzled by her reaction. ¡°Why are you so surprised?¡± She tried to snap back at him, asking if he really didn¡¯t know why, but Celine shut her mouth. ¡®Calm down, calm down¡­ This man just wants me to stop dying.¡¯ A while ago, she drowned while bathing alone. Naturally, Leonhard will want to keep an eye on her. Then, the question was where to sleep¡­ Of course, the bed was out of the question. Leonhard, the heir to the Grand Duchy, would, of course, have a fianc¨¦e, and Celine had some common sense that she shouldn¡¯t share the same bed with him. Her eyes eventually rested on the large armchair. The chair looked gorgeous and fluffy enough to be used as a throne, though it was nothing compared to a bed. ¡°I want to sleep in the bed for today.¡± One of Leonhard¡¯s eyebrows twitched. ¡°Do I look like a person who would pull a woman out of bed?¡± ¡®He looks like a person who would kill a woman¡­¡¯ Celine swallowed a gulp as she recalled Leonhard from the game and asked calmly. ¡°Then, where are you going to sleep?¡± Instead of answering, Leonhard sat down on the doorstep. The firm body seen through the gently flowing gown was ready to move at any moment. ¡°There?¡± ¡°Yes. What¡¯s wrong?¡± ¡°There¡¯s no problem, but it¡¯s uncomfortable! There are sofas and armchairs over there¡­¡± Leonhard tilted his head briefly. ¡°I have to protect you, so I have to be on guard.¡± Celine¡¯s cheeks lit up. ¡®Snap out of it! It means nothing.¡¯ Leonhard explained slowly when he thought that she didn¡¯t understand as she just stared at him. ¡°Because you can fall out of bed and die while you sleep, or you can die in other ways. When I arrive at the estate, I will attach a maid who is skilled in martial arts and who is reliable.¡± ¡°Still, to sleep there¡­¡± ¡°I don¡¯t sleep well after all. Besides, the bed is the same here and there, isn¡¯t it?¡± She only nodded her head. Well, Leonhard is a soldier. Of course, he must have slept in a bed far worse than this. In the end, she lay on the bed and pulled the thick blanket up to her chin. The pleasant weight and the warm warmth embraced her. ¡°Good night.¡± Celine was so tired that she didn¡¯t even notice how ironic the words were. An hour later. Leonhard took a deep breath and gazed at the sleeping woman. The face of the woman in a deep sleep looked so calm. For this moment, he was envious. Soon enough, the scariest thing in the world will attack him. The only comfort was that it would be over today. Leonhard¡¯s eyes, which had opened to keep himself from falling asleep, suddenly closed and his head dropped. A familiar sight unfolded before his eyes. That terrible house¡­ Dry and dead ivy covered the walls, and the appearance of the eerie building without a single window made his heart flutter. Leonhard quickly found a familiar woman. Celine Hunt was on her way home. Then, Leonhard himself appeared. His heart was pounding. Though soon, he realized that the sensation belonged to Celine, not his own. At first, Celine felt only a simple curiosity, but she immediately ran away with great fear. Leonhard watched the chase with Celine and himself with her breath suffocating. ¡­He shouldn¡¯t have done that. Of course, he would have frightened her. A strange man who suddenly appeared and threatened her, who wouldn¡¯t be intimidated? And¡­ Terrified, the woman tried to escape to the roof. ¡ªThud! A scream escaped Leonhard¡¯s mouth. ¡°No¡­ No!¡± Celine¡¯s eyes lit up. She turned her head to where she had just heard the flurry. ¡®Oh, my gosh.¡¯ There, Leonhard Bernoulli was leaning against the wall, struggling. At that, she immediately jumped out of bed. ¡°Hey! Wake up! It¡¯s just a dream!¡± However, Leonhard, who was groaning, did not hear her. So, Celine tried to gently shake his body. His body was stiffened with tension, even though he had fallen into a deep sleep. The next moment, she was thrown to the floor. The pain engulfed Celine. But, she stared at Leonhard with a frown on her brow, with her eyes wide open. ¡®I have to be careful.¡¯ Leonhard will now go back and forth between dreams and reality. If she stimulates him in this situation, something not very pleasant may happen. ¡°Are you up?¡± ¡°¡­.¡± Leonhard seemed unable to believe the scene in front of him for a moment. The blue eyes fluttered in astonishment as he saw Celine, who was clearly complaining of the pain on the floor. ¡°¡­It¡¯s a dream.¡± ¡°It¡¯s not a dream!¡± Celine staggered to her feet. ¡°Look, if it were your dream, I would have died already, yet I¡¯m not dead, am I?¡± ¡°¡­.¡± Leonhard buried his face in his hands. Suddenly, he felt so weak that he couldn¡¯t say anything to her. ¡°¡­I¡¯m sorry.¡± ¡°That¡¯s okay. I¡¯m not even dead.¡± ¡°No. Earlier, in that house¡­¡± Celine couldn¡¯t hide her surprise. Was Leonhard the person who deserved to apologize for such a thing? ¡°Yes¡­?¡± ¡°It was because of me.¡± He once again apologized in a serious voice. ¡°I¡¯m sorry. I never thought you¡¯d be so scared.¡± ¡°¡­Well, I¡¯m revived, anyway.¡± Even though she tried to make some light jokes, it didn¡¯t change the stiff atmosphere surrounding them. ¡°Go and sleep. You look tired. Sorry to wake you up, and¡­ threw you.¡± Leonhard¡¯s voice was full of indelible guilt. ¡°I wish I had apologized once.¡± Celine smiled to reassure him. ¡°The next dream will be a little better.¡± ¡°Neither is it. Because it keeps repeating itself, since you¡¯ve died twice, I¡¯ll keep dreaming two dreams alternately.¡± ¡°Oh¡­¡± At that, she found no words of comfort. ¡°How long¡­?¡± ¡°Until the sun comes up.¡± ¡°Until then, you will continue to see myself die¡­¡± ¡°Yes, twice. I¡¯m going to alternate seeing the two deaths.¡± ¡°How about sleeping after sunrise?¡± ¡°¡­Naps are even worse.¡± Leonhard waved his hand as though he was getting fed up just thinking about it. ¡°Now, sleep. Don¡¯t mind me.¡± And so, Celine went back to bed with an uneasy feeling. Her shin, which had just hit the floor because of Leonhard, hurt, although the soft duvet relieved the pain in no time. However, she couldn¡¯t sleep again. Because Leonhard went back and forth between naps and nightmares. ¡°Gasp¡­!¡± His eyes shot open widely. Big blue-grey eyes were in front of his nose, and he felt a woman¡¯s soft hand on his shoulder. Leonhard let out words that were close to moans. ¡°Again¡­ You seem to have woken me up.¡± ¡°It¡¯s okay.¡± Celine looked a little uneasy. ¡°If you don¡¯t want me to wake you up¡­¡± ¡°¡­.¡± Leonhard was silent for a moment. To be honest, he didn¡¯t hate waking up. Rather, it was the opposite. He had to go through the endless pain until he woke himself up or someone woke him up. Nonetheless, when she says it¡¯s better to wake up, how does Celine sleep? ¡°I don¡¯t like it, though you will be uncomfortable.¡± ¡°Why?¡± Leonhard was speechless for a moment and looked at Celine gently. She was stroking her hair with a look of ignorance. Her wet blonde hair shimmered in the warm light of the surface. ¡°You will keep waking me up, so you won¡¯t be able to sleep.¡± ¡°Ah¡ª¡± Celine had a look on her face that realized something. ¡°Does not matter. I can¡¯t sleep, anyway. I woke up to a scream.¡± ¡°Scream¡­?¡± ¡°You kept screaming no.¡± Leonhard frowned at her words. Come to think of it, it was the first time he had yelled in a dream. Until now, no matter how much she died in his dreams, it was only painful, although he did not want to prevent the death before his eyes. But, why¡­? They were only together for half a day today, but in his dream, the moment the woman in front of him lost her life, a scream erupted out of his mouth unknowingly. ¡°¡­I¡¯m sorry.¡± ¡°You can¡¯t help it.¡± As he stood up, Celine opened her mouth again. ¡°Are you going to sleep on the sofa? Well thought.¡± ¡°No. I will go to my room.¡± She knew exactly why. ¡°It is because of me? You can¡¯t sleep because of the nightmares.¡± ¡°Yes.¡± When Leonhard opened the door, he found that Celine hastily stopped him. ¡°Anyway, until today. I will wake you up, especially today, so stay here.¡± As he turned around slowly, a small woman, buried in the blanket, was looking straight at him. He felt relieved. The woman who had just caused a scream to burst out of his mouth a moment ago is still alive in front of his eyes. ¡°Help¡­ It seems like you¡¯ll be a lot of help.¡± ¡°That¡¯s a relief.¡± Celine laughed softly. Eventually, Leonhard relaxed a bit and sat down on the door again. The two each tried to resist the nightmare, but the day was too long to succeed. *** At last, the sun rose, coloring the gray sky in a rosy color. Celine was exhausted and collapsed onto the bed. Leonhard looked down at her calm face, who had fallen asleep in an instant. It was a long night. However, it was also the most peaceful night that he had experienced in the last month and a half. *** Celine stretched herself. When the soft pillow was pressed against her hand, she almost burst into tears of emotion. She stared at the door as soon as she opened her eyes. Leonhard was nowhere to be seen. He didn¡¯t even leave a mark on the soft carpet. A much more mysterious thing than that caught her eye. The clear space was filled with boxes wrapped in colored ribbons. Celine was worried that it would fall down as she walked between them, stacked in threes or fours. Carefully, she opened the nearest box on the bed. ¡®What?¡¯ She carefully lifted it up and found that it was a soft nightgown that would fit her body. Celine¡¯s heart began to pound. She didn¡¯t even have to go out and ask what it was all about. While she was sleeping, it seemed that Leonhard had ordered all of the clothes. Her face flushed red, and Celine opened the box excitedly. A new world opened up for each of the boxes. Three coats made of various furs, five thick and colorful dresses, three dresses with no embellishments, more than ten petticoats, and even stockings and underwear¡­ Taking off her nightgown, she put on a petticoat and a relatively simple dress. A soft touch enveloped her whole body. The clean new clothes, above all else, made her smile with her heart. As soon as Celine got her clothes on, she went out without looking in the mirror. She wanted to thank Leonhard as soon as possible. ¡°You¡¯re up.¡± ©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤ Join our discord to receive the latest updates as soon as possible! Chapter 6 Translator and Editor: Effe and Nabi ©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤ Chapter 6 Celine blinked. Apparently yesterday, Leonhard was wearing a black leather suit. It was so modest that the most glamorous part of his clothes was the pattern of the Grand Duchy embroidered on one side of his chest. But now, Leonhard was dressed in a flashy outfit from head to toe. ¡°It¡¯s much better.¡± ¡°Thank you.¡± Celine greeted with all her heart. Leonhard waved his hand as if nothing had happened. ¡°You would have frozen to death if you kept wearing it, of course. Still, just in case, I told the tailor who measured it to keep it.¡± ¡°Tell them to throw it away.¡± She shrugged her shoulders. Celine never wanted to see that dress again. Leonhard nodded his head and pointed to the table. A person looked like a server, and a tray full of silver plates was next to the table. ¡°Sit down. You have to eat.¡± Then, she sat down at the table chair that the server had moved for her. ¡°The time is¡­?¡± ¡°It¡¯s 3:20. It¡¯s my fault that you didn¡¯t sleep yesterday, so I let you sleep.¡± Moments later, she noticed something a little strange. The lunch she thought she would eat alone had two servings, with Leonhard¡¯s share. ¡°You haven¡¯t eaten yet?¡± Leonhard nodded his head. Celine was so startled that she almost dropped the spoon she was eating the mushroom soup from. ¡°Why¡­?¡± ¡°Because I¡¯m not very hungry.¡± He was saying that even though he finished his meal much faster than Celine, who ate in a hurry. ¡®He¡¯s staring at me¡­¡¯ Leonhard¡¯s blue eyes looked straight at Celine as she gulped and ate her food. ¡°Is¡­ Is there something strange about me?¡± Finally, Celine couldn¡¯t stand it and asked Leonhard, who frowned as if in surprise. ¡°Have you ever died because something caught your throat while eating and choked you? I was worried.¡± ¡°It was from eating poison!¡± At that, she cried out, blushing her cheeks out of embarrassment. Meanwhile, he had a slightly sorry tone as he opened his mouth, ¡°Is that so? I¡¯m sorry. I don¡¯t really know the details.¡± ¡°It¡¯s okay. But, I don¡¯t think I¡¯m going to die that way. Relax a bit.¡± The corners of Leonhard¡¯s lips rose slightly. ¡°That¡¯s a relief.¡± He got up from his seat only after Celine had drunk the last sip of tea. ¡°I have to go to the Imperial Palace now. It won¡¯t take long, but there is time to come and go, so be careful in the meantime.¡± A very slight disappointment sprouted in Celine¡¯s heart, but she didn¡¯t even notice it herself, and she smiled. ¡°Yes. Don¡¯t worry, I won¡¯t die.¡± *** The Imperial Palace where he set his feet in after three years was unfamiliar. Leonhard glanced around little by little, gathering information to report to the Grand Duke. Although three years was not a long time, the faces of the servants were all unfamiliar. ¡®All of the people have changed since then.¡¯ It was a bad sign, though it wasn¡¯t a problem for Leonhard himself. He carried the ebony wooden box engraved with the pattern of the Grand Duchy in his arms and walked to the palace where the Crown Prince lived. The Crown Prince of the Empire, Ricardo Unsorem, was leaning back and looking out the window as Leonhard entered. The view of the garden caught his eye through the transparent glass. Leonhard knelt down on one of his knees. ¡°Frederick¡¯s son Leonhard greets His Highness Ricardo.¡± The Prince slowly turned around. The sharp eyes of the mid-thirties scanned Leonhard from head to toe, and stayed in the dark circles under his eyes. ¡°How have you been?¡± ¡°¡­I am fine.¡± A mockery leaked out of the prince¡¯s mouth. ¡°I heard that there is a big problem.¡± Leonhard showed no reaction. What the Crown Prince doesn¡¯t know is a bigger problem since it would mean that the Prince of an empire is that incompetent. The Prince beckoned to the box Leonhard was holding. ¡°Is this the letter that Frederick was talking about? Give it to me.¡± Leonhard offered the box with both hands and waited patiently for the Crown Prince to read the letter inside the vessel. ¡°Ha¡­ Ha, ha!¡± The Crown Prince read the letter carefully and burst into laughter as soon as he saw the end of the letter. Leonhard waited quietly. If the Crown Prince doesn¡¯t explain why he¡¯s laughing, he can go home and ask the Grand Duke. ¡°Hah, oh my, this is¡­¡± The Crown Prince stared at him and the letter alternately, and asked carefully. ¡°Did Frederick tell you the contents of this letter?¡± ¡°No.¡± In fact, the Grand Duke did not even know that he was delivering this letter. A person of Leonhard¡¯s caliber needed a cause to come to the Capital of the Empire. So, he received the letter from Bernoulli¡¯s messenger in the middle. So, it was close to stealing the letter from the hesitant messenger to be exact. ¡°Ha! That¡¯s what it was.¡± The Prince returned the letter to Leonhard with a strange laugh. ¡°Read it.¡± Leonhard frowned and quickly scanned the letter. After the rhetoric and greetings that cover half of the parchment, a brief report on the status of the estate, and¡­ [ My child is still immature. I hope you stop making him work so hard. ] ¡°Ah¡­¡± Leonhard wanted to bury his face in the parchment. His whole face was burning. His father must have used vulgar language on purpose, but nonetheless, it was a letter to the Crown Prince of the Empire¡­! ¡°Yes, what do you think? Aren¡¯t you the person directly involved?¡± ¡°I¡­ I¡­¡± He stuttered, unable to find his words. He was now only twenty-four, an inexperienced age to safely pass through political dialogue. Just like his father¡¯s expression. The Prince burst out laughing again. ¡°Frederick is right. you are still immature Though, unfortunately¡­¡± He opened an old-fashioned drawer and pulled out an envelope with the imperial emblem. Leonhard got down on his knees again and took the position of receiving the letter paper. ¡°I don¡¯t know why you came, but I¡¯m sure Frederick didn¡¯t send you¡­¡± There was still a smile in the Prince¡¯s voice. ¡°But, that¡¯s fine.¡± He opened the letter slowly. There was something different from what was expected. ¡°For the past three years, you have only dealt with northern monsters. I¡¯ll give you enough support, so sort this out as well. You, too, are a servant of the Empire, so you have to do your part.¡± The Crown Prince did not mention the monsters and warlocks while Leonhard left the North and traveled the entire Empire for three years. Leonhard wet his parched mouth for a moment. It was an easy task, but he needed the Crown Prince¡¯s help to relieve the anxiety that had crept into his head. ¡°Your Highness, please listen to one request.¡± ¡°Request?¡± ¡°I have to take a woman with me.¡± ¡°What¡­?¡± The Crown Prince blinked his eyes a few times in surprise and smiled knowingly. ¡°Yeah, you¡¯re at that age. Shall I choose? Or, you yourself¡­¡± ¡°Not like that!¡± Leonhard shouted, then immediately lowered his head. ¡°Forgive me. I have made a mistake.¡± ¡°No, it is not. She must be a special lady.¡± ¡°¡­Yes.¡± ¡°Then, I will prepare it accordingly. Is it a Lady of the North?¡± Leonhard hesitated for a moment. ¡°Yes.¡± Anyway, soon, she will be living in the North. The Grand Duchy would guarantee her status, so the word Lady of the North was not very wrong. ¡°Then, she must have brought several of the maids from the North. Right. I¡¯ll send you lodgings, carriages, and chores maid for the Lady. They will leave tomorrow.¡± He couldn¡¯t help but say that she didn¡¯t have a maid because the Crown Prince would surely question her identity and wonder why he wanted to take Celine. ¡°Thank you.¡± Leonhard bowed politely and exited the palace as quickly as possible. The only thought in his mind was that he had to go to Celine as soon as possible. Three hours have passed. She was a woman who could have died while staying still. ¡°Hah¡­¡± Leonhard was barely out of breath, though as he ran as fast as he could, he took a deep breath and opened the door to the room. Celine Hunt gazed back at him. Leonhard paused for a moment at the entrance. Her lips gleamed as if she had been eating something a while ago, and the startled rabbit¡¯s eyes turned into half moons in an instant. ¡°You¡¯re here!¡± A joy that could not be explained simply by relief rose in Leonhard¡¯s heart, and at the same time, his heart began to pound. ¡°In the meantime, is there¡­?¡± ¡°I¡¯m not dead.¡± Celine grinned loosely, as she hardened her face, startled by the shadows cast over her. The next moment, she couldn¡¯t think of anything. The body temperature of the person, the sound of the breathing, and the power pressing from all directions were felt. The hardened hair loosened after a while, and only then did she realize that Leonhard had walked up to her and hugged her tightly. ¡°¡­Wh¡ªwhat¡± Leonhard withdrew from her with an astonished look on his face. Celine rubbed her flushed cheek and glanced up at Leonhard. Oddly enough for her, he wasn¡¯t that different from her either. A terrified expression and flushed cheeks. ¡°This¡­ this¡­ I¡¯m, I¡¯m sorry.¡± Leonhard buried his face in his hands. He had done something shameless. ¡°Hey.¡± Celine¡¯s voice was heard. He then took his hand from his face and looked down at her as if he had been struck by lightning. Her cheeks were still red, though she didn¡¯t appear to be offended or angry. ¡°Is it because you¡¯re glad that I¡¯m not dead yet?¡± Leonhard nodded his head. ¡°Right, then. But, in the future, please be a little more restrained. Or, just say something. I was surprised!¡± ¡°¡­Leonhard.¡± ¡°Yes?¡± ¡°Call me Leonhard. It would be better than ¡®hey¡¯.¡± Celine¡¯s eyes became half moons again. It took Leonhard quite some time to realize why his heart was pounding every time he looked at the half moons. All he could do now was be relieved by Celine¡¯s answer. ¡°Great. You know my name, Celine Hunt. Call me whatever you like.¡± *** Celine moaned happily as she caressed the cushions piled up on either side. ¡°So good¡­¡± The luxurious carriage was much more colorful and comfortable than she had ever imagined. Leonhard, who sat across from her, looked at her with a serious expression, who began to munch on the candy. ¡°Understand? Never fall from my side. No matter what happens, if you stay by my side, you will never die.¡± ¡°Yes, yes.¡± Celine answered dryly. Needless to say, Leonhard was saying the same thing dozens of times now. Last night, he slept normally for the first time in a month and a half. It seems that he doesn¡¯t want to lose the sweet sleep he¡¯s had in a long time, and he has been clinging to her from morning until now and nagging at her. In fact, she thought it would be safer for her to be alone in a hotel, but she had a history of drowning in a bathtub alone, so she couldn¡¯t say much. ¡°Do you normally carry out your duties in a wagon like this?¡± ¡°No?¡± Leonhard had a face that asked what kind of absurd thing she was saying. ¡°The Crown Prince gave it to me when I said I was taking a woman. So, there will be no inconvenience.¡± ©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤ Join our discord to receive the latest updates as soon as possible! Chapter 7 Translator and Editor: Effe and Nabi ©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤ Chapter 7 ¡°I beg your pardon¡­?¡± Celine couldn¡¯t believe what she had just heard and asked again. However, Leonhard frowned as if it was normal and replied. ¡°It has been a long time since our family withdrew from the Imperial Capital. I had no choice but to borrow the power of His Majesty Ricardo.¡± As her silence grew longer, he hurriedly explained why. ¡°Anyway, this is an imperial mission. So, it is only natural that the imperial family will support me with whatever I need.¡± ¡°You said you were going to take a girl with you?¡± ¡°Yes. His Majesty knows that you are the Lady I brought from the North. So, if you just say the right thing¡­¡± Celine patted her head. Leonhard, who was the heir to the Northern Prince, and seemed to have grown old enough, must have had a fiancee. ¡°Now, do you know how that word sounds to someone you don¡¯t know?¡± At that moment, Leonhard reacted in a moment of bewilderment, and an understandable expression appeared on his face. ¡°Is it because you¡¯re a Lady of the North? It¡¯s not a lie, because you¡¯ll be in the North soon, anyway.¡± ¡°No, I sound like your lover! A cherished one from the North, too, as it seemed!¡± ¡°¡­Ah.¡± A groan escaped Leonhard¡¯s mouth while his pupils visibly shook. ¡°Right¡­¡± Celine shot triumphantly. ¡°Yes. That¡¯s right. You must have even been engaged!¡± ¡°I¡¯m not engaged.¡± Leonhard replied sternly. ¡°I don¡¯t plan on doing anything in the future, so I¡¯ll let go of my feelings of sorry for my future fianc¨¦.¡± ¡°Yes¡­?¡± At that, she was more surprised than when she found out that he had told the prince that he would take her. ¡°Why?¡± ¡°¡­.¡± When Leonhard stared at the air instead of answering her, Celine quickly settled the situation. ¡°It¡¯s all right if it¡¯s hard to say. I¡¯m just a little surprised. Anyway, if we say we¡¯re lovers, it would be difficult, right? Just be nice to me later.¡± ¡°¡­I get it.¡± For a moment, a thought flashed in Leonhard¡¯s mind that the description of lover would be the easiest, though he refused to speak because Celine seemed to hate him. She glanced at Leonhard¡¯s eyes, which had suddenly darkened. ¡°I must have asked something wrong. Sorry.¡± He let out a long sigh. One day, Celine will find out, but for some reason, it was not easy for him to tell the truth to her, who now lighted her eyes in front of him. The reason why Leonhard Bernoulli, the successor of the North, had never been engaged, let alone married, and would not do so in the future was an open secret known to everyone. He had slaughtered countless monsters and warlocks since he was only fifteen. Monsters were evil spirits with no heart, so even if they cut them, there are no side effects. But, warlocks were different. They devised a defense against the young wolf wielding Rashir, and with each death, they cast a powerful curse on Leonhard. Leonhard himself was directly affected by the curse due to his innate magical powers and constant training. However, his successor was bound to be exposed to black magic. The warlocks aimed at that very point. Every time they were torn to death by Rashir, they cursed that the descendants of Leonhard Bernoulli would be rotten and ruined from generation to generation. Naturally, he had no intention of having children or getting married. Since he has two younger brothers, he should take his nephew as his successor. ¡ªClatter! The wagon made a sudden stop. Celine, leaning against the chair, relaxing her tension, almost pierced her nose into the floor in an instant. If it wasn¡¯t for Leonhard, who had held her. ¡°Thank you.¡± Celine noticed that Leonhard was tense. He jumped straight out of the carriage and held out his hand to her. ¡°Lord, I think you will have to go alone from here.¡± The voice of the Knight Commander, which the Crown Prince had given to subdue monsters, was trembling. He wasn¡¯t very talented, though he was experienced and deserved to be heard. ¡°Why already?¡± Leonhard frowned. Demons were usually executed together with the Knights. The only time he faced it alone was when only the head of the monster was left. ¡°Look at this.¡± At the commander¡¯s beckoning, a soldier approached with an unknown mass in a cart. ¡°Gasp¡­!¡± Celine took in her breath. The cart was left full of bloody objects. It looked like a cicada skin, but its sharp teeth and claws, as well as the size of a human, showed that it was completely different from a cicada. ¡°¡­It¡¯s already too late.¡± ¡°Yes. It seems to have devoured all the people and metamorphosed.¡± ¡°I understand. I¡¯ll go in alone. Everyone just wait here.¡± Leonhard¡¯s gaze rested on Celine for a moment. ¡°Uh¡­ Who is this lady?¡± ¡°We go together.¡± ¡°Yes¡­?¡± The Knight Commander and the soldiers around him were startled and dissuaded. ¡°Lord, don¡¯t you know! It would be unreasonable to carry out a mission with a Lady!¡± ¡°Yes. Besides, what about the scene? The Lady will be stunned.¡± Leonhard met Celine¡¯s eyes. ¡°That could be a problem. Do you think you will faint?¡± ¡°No.¡± Celine answered confidently. ¡°I don¡¯t pass out very well.¡± ¡°Well, even worse, she didn¡¯t faint.¡± He then nodded his head and squeezed Celine¡¯s hand, and replied to the knights. ¡°The Lady agreed, too, so I¡¯ll go with her.¡± The Knight Commander nodded his head with a look of helplessness, and called the medic. ¡°¡­Medic, wait at the entrance!¡± ¡°You don¡¯t have to.¡± ¡°I think we need it!¡± Leonhard no longer spoke, and cautiously pulled Celine. He strode forward. Meanwhile, she ignored the dozens of gazes that fell on her back as she walked, looking only in front of her. The deep forest path was narrow enough for two people to walk on, and the forest was quiet. She couldn¡¯t even hear the sound of a mountain bird that she would normally hear, so she got goosebumps. ¡°Whatever you see, stay behind my back.¡± Celine nodded her head. Leonhard¡¯s character was well known through the gameplay. He himself will be safe no matter what the monster boss was. The two continued walking down the road without a word. ¡°I am so nervous.¡± ¡°How can you not be nervous¡­¡± At that moment, a piercing sound as if ripping through the air struck Celine¡¯s ears. She instinctively covered her ears and clasped behind Leonhard¡¯s back. Thump, thump, thump. Her whole body trembled with the sound of her heart. Even though nothing had happened yet, tears were about to come out, so Celine gazed only at Leonhard¡¯s back. ¡®Whatever happens, whatever you hear, whatever you see¡­¡¯ He said that she just had to cling to his back. ¡­Because Leonhard promised. ¡ªHurr! Hearing the sound of the fire burning, Celine tilted her head slightly and peered in front of her. ¡°¡­.!¡± A blue flame engulfed Rashir and was blazing. And, where the fire points¡­ a monster the size of a beautiful tree was wriggling. She felt like she was going to vomit out of disgust. The claws and teeth she had seen in the cart were nowhere to be found. Again, it was shaped like a maggot the size of a house. ¡°Listen. Don¡¯t move. He¡¯s coming to get us, and it¡¯s all over if you don¡¯t stay behind me.¡± No voice came out at all. Celine could only nod her head. The monster twisted its heavy body and slowly approached them. When she just felt the disgusting breath of the monster, Leonhard took a step in front of her. ¡ªChang! Goosebumps appeared all over her body. It was a monster that only looked like a chunk of flesh. Still, when it was hit with Rashir, it sounded like it had been struck by metal. ¡°¡­Damn it.¡± He muttered softly, then changed his body position slightly and uttered an incomprehensible spell. ¡°Quoeeekk!¡± As the demons shook their bodies and were about to attack them, an iron barrier covered them. The steel gleamed like silver. ¡®Rashir.¡¯ Celine noticed right away. Leonhard turned Rashir into a barrier to protect them. ¡°It will be gone soon, so be prepared.¡± Shutting her eyes tightly, she slowly opened them again. Leonhard once again held the sword-shaped Rashir. ¡°Get down!¡± She didn¡¯t even think about it, and she rolled her body as small as possible. ¡ªChang! Chang! Chang! Leonhard didn¡¯t step away from where they were standing. The nape of his neck was drenched with sweat. Looking at the scene in front of her, anxiety rose from Celine¡¯s mind. No matter how it was Leonhard, he would never have had the experience of fighting the head of a monster without moving even a single step in place. There was nothing she could do about it, and Celine¡¯s heart pounded. She prayed to a God she had long since believed. ¡®Please, please don¡¯t let him lose because of my existence.¡¯ ¡ªThud! Suddenly, the ground rumbled with a heavy roar. Celine looked up in surprise. The monster was lying on the floor, bleeding pitch black without moving. ¡°It¡¯s over. You did well.¡± She was so thirsty that she couldn¡¯t utter a word. Leonhard put Rashir in the sheath and held out his hand. ¡°According to the calculations, we should have arrived during the transformation, but it was a little difficult to arrive after the transformation was completed. Still, it wasn¡¯t very difficult in the early days.¡± None of Leonhard¡¯s explanations came into her ears. Celine leaned over her trembling body and grabbed Leonhard¡¯s arm. The hem of her caught robe was soaked with monster blood, but she didn¡¯t mind at all. ¡°Is it very difficult?¡± At Leonhard¡¯s worried question, she shook her head. ¡°Let¡¯s go. Let¡¯s go quickly.¡± ¡°Wait a minute.¡± Leonhard took a few steps from the dead monster. Celine couldn¡¯t keep up with him, so she stood idly in the place. ¡°We need to get this guy¡¯s core.¡± ¡°Core¡­? ¡°Think of it as the heart of the monsters. Scientists need to have a cure to study these things. I don¡¯t need the minion ones, but the head is different.¡± Leonhard climbed on the monster and slashed it in the middle with Rashir. ¡ªChaeng! ¡°What¡­?¡± Leonhard uttered a single word in disbelief, though Celine, who had no knowledge of monsters, did not move even a single step. ¡°Get closer!¡± At that, Celine immediately moved her body to him. But, it was already too late. Dozens of monsters resembling the skins she had seen earlier burst out from the core of the head and covered the forest. Of course, their first target was an ordinary human without any weapons. ¡°Aaackk¡­!¡± She could feel the pain of her body shattering in an instant, and she died. ¡°No¡­!¡± Leonhard roared madly and swung his sword. It shouldn¡¯t be like this. All his calculations were correct. According to his experience so far, it was safer to have Celine behind him than to be in a hotel without any monsters. He completely slaughtered the head. But, why¡­! All of a sudden, Leonhard¡¯s handsome face and dirty clothes were covered with dark blood. After finally slicing the last monster, he wandered all over the place to find Celine. His heart was pounding with anxiety. So far, Celine has never had her body damaged. At best, she broke her head. However, what if her head was cut off by the demons? What if she was shattered to the point where he could not find a single piece of flesh? Will she still be resurrected? ¡°¡ªhard.¡± At that moment, in front of Leonhard¡¯s feet, a groan was heard from under the corpse of the monster. He frantically removed the monster¡¯s corpse and faced a horrific sight. Celine was moaning as she bled from her body. Not the black blood of a monster, but her red blood. Her blonde hair was so entangled in blood that her hair color could not be seen, and her dress was torn to shreds. Leonhard lifted her up in haste. He tried to say something to her, though his hardened tongue couldn¡¯t utter a word. It was Celine who broke the silence first. ¡°This is a bit¡­ hurt. It must be hard tonight.¡± Something hot rose from Leonhard¡¯s throat. Feeling unfamiliar, he didn¡¯t realize what it was until Celine pointed it out. ¡°Are you crying now?¡± ¡°¡­.¡± Leonhard did not answer. He himself was ignorant. And, he was arrogant¡­! It made his heart ache at the thought of the pain Celine must have suffered. ¡°¡­It was only now that I realized that it was not enough.¡± ¡°What?¡± ¡°My strength¡­¡± Celine shook her head and tried to deny his words. Though Leonhard hugged her tightly, as if she would disappear if he let her go even for a moment, and said nothing. ©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤ Join our discord to receive the latest updates as soon as possible! Chapter 8 Translator and Editor: Effe and Nabi ©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤ Chapter 8 Celine couldn¡¯t remember how she got out of the woods. All she could recognize was Leonhard, who hugged her tightly. ¡°Young Lord!¡± When Leonhard, holding Celine¡¯s miserable appearance, came out of the forest, the place suddenly became noisy. The medic ran out in a hurry. ¡°La, Lady here¡­¡± ¡°No.¡± Leonhard looked at the medic, who politely extended his hands. ¡°I will do it myself.¡± The moment he was about to enter the carriage with one hand snatching the bandages and medicines from the medic¡¯s hand, the Knight Commander approached. ¡°Young Lord, the core is¡­¡­ ?¡± ¡°It¡¯s gone.¡± ¡°Yes?¡± The Knight Commander opened his mouth wide as if he could not believe it. At that, he gave an outright annoyed answer. ¡°You don¡¯t believe it? Go and find it yourself.¡± ¡°Oh, no.¡± The Knight Commander immediately withdrew. Leonhard stared at his back with a cold gaze. If there was at least one of them who had the courage to break through the corpse of a monster¡­ ¡°Ack!¡± Celine let out a small scream as she twisted her body. Leonhard¡¯s heart sank. He carefully laid her down in the carriage and examined her. The reason he stopped the medic wasn¡¯t because it was simple. There was no expert who knew better than Leonhard about the wounds received from monsters in the Empire. ¡®¡­.!¡¯ Leonhard¡¯s pupils shook. Her whole body was torn to shreds, and she was covered with a distorted red scar as though it had just been attached. Leonhard¡¯s hand holding the ointment trembled. Celine only came to her senses when the gentle ointment was applied to her neck. She mumbled with her moan. ¡°It¡¯s a waste. Because I¡¯ll get better, anyway¡­¡± ¡°It¡¯s all wounds.¡± He then answered bluntly and spread the ointment, stopping a little below her shoulder. Underneath the rag-level dress, the flesh visible at first glance is also not normal. But, it wasn¡¯t an area he could touch or mention. ¡°I¡¯ll have to call a medic.¡± ¡°It¡¯s all right.¡± Celine¡¯s eyes, which had been closed all this time, were gazing at Leonhard. He didn¡¯t miss the fact that her blue-grey eyes, which were normally brightly luminous, were clouded by pain. ¡°See. It¡¯s gone, right?¡± Celine rolled up the sleeves of her ragged dress, revealing her bare white arms. Leonhard sighed. ¡°Are you still in pain?¡± ¡°Isn¡¯t that obvious? It¡¯s a fantasy pain. It will disappear soon, and it won¡¯t get better with ointment.¡± ¡°¡­I see.¡± Celine closed her eyes again. The pain of wounds that no longer existed took over her whole body. She endured the pain, trying not to worry Leonhard by groaning or shaking her body. Suddenly, she felt the warmth and pressure on her hands. Leonhard was holding her hand. ¡°Tell me if you don¡¯t like it.¡± Celine held Leonhard¡¯s hand in place of an answer. It felt like the pains that had swarmed her like worms that devoured her whole body disappeared little by little following her connection with him. The last pain turned into a tickle and left her, Celine took her hand from his. ¡°I¡¯m okay now. Thank you.¡± ¡°¡­.¡± Leonhard gazed at her like someone who had something to say but said nothing, only a slight rattle of his lips. Celine smirked and pretended to throw any question that came to her mind to evoke the mood. ¡°Now, shall we go to the hotel? Or, to the Imperial Palace because you have to report it to His Highness the Crown Prince?¡± She could see saw Leonhard¡¯s eyes regain the original cool-headedness look, and she felt a little relieved. However, the words that came out of his mouth were beyond any of Celine¡¯s expectations. ¡°No.¡± Celine raised her eyes in bewilderment. Leonhard spit out his words, word by word. ¡°Go straight. North.¡± ¡°Yes?¡± ¡°The Imperial Capital¡­ Dangerous.¡± He grabbed Rashir¡¯s hilt tightly. As if he had to cut down all the dangers before him right now. *** Celine basked in the cozy blanket, enjoying the warmth. Leonhard said the road to the north was cold and filled the carriage with blankets and cushions. She didn¡¯t know exactly why he was in such a hurry, but seeing him calmed down, she knew it was the right decision to go as fast as possible north. ¡°Is it much colder in the north than here?¡± ¡°If you wear those old clothes, you will die right away.¡± Leonhard reached out his hand and gently stroked the sable hair of her cap, which Celine was pressed against. ¡°Keep in mind. Never take your hat off when you go outside. Your ears will be cut off in no time.¡± Soon, Celine decided that she had nothing to say about when she was in the northern cold. It was because he raised a fuss every time a related topic came up and gave his precautions. Suddenly, a blue twilight fell outside the window, and the carriage stopped softly. They had to camp overnight, as they were told when they left. Neither of them had an appetite, so dinner was all about biscuits and a little bit of hot tea. Leonhard gazed at Celine for a long time, holding the mug with both her hands, said in a voice of firm determination. ¡°I will sleep outside.¡± ¡°Why?¡± Celine couldn¡¯t help but be surprised. Leonhard, also stood guard by leaning on the door, saying he was worried even at the hotel. Besides, it¡¯s a campground now. Isn¡¯t it normal for him to insist on staying by her side even if he doesn¡¯t like her¡­? Glancing at him, she still didn¡¯t hear the answer, which she thought would be back soon. A red glow appeared on Leonhard¡¯s pale face, who had his mouth shut. It wasn¡¯t difficult for her to find out why. ¡°Because of the nightmare, you¡¯re afraid you¡¯ll wake me up.¡± Celine was half right and half wrong. Nevertheless, Leonhard nodded his head because he didn¡¯t want to reveal the truth. Today, the pangs that Celine¡¯s death brought to him still linger in his chest. Though what if he sees it again, dozens of times in the dream? Leonhard felt his mouth dry out. ¡°Today was a difficult day, wasn¡¯t it? I don¡¯t want to disturb you.¡± ¡°By the way, tonight is a difficult night for Leonhard.¡± There was a hint of pure concern in Celine¡¯s voice. He shook his head with difficulty and opened his mouth. ¡°Today is purely because of me. You do not have to bear the price of my foolishness.¡± Celine hid her sigh that was about to escape. Whatever she would say to Leonhard now, he wouldn¡¯t change his mind. Then, the rest is¡­ ¡°I see. Then, who will protect me?¡± The moment Leonhard raised his head, Celine noticed that her plan was just right. ¡°Well, it would be different if the escort came from the North, was running now¡­¡± Saying so, she glanced through the window into the small tent the coachman had already pitched by the burning bonfire. ¡°How can Leonhard stay there and still protect me? That doesn¡¯t mean you¡¯re not going to stand guard outdoors at all? You have a cold.¡± ¡°¡­I was thinking of standing guard.¡± ¡°In this cold¡­?¡± Celine tried to place her hand on his forehead with a worried expression on her face, but her attempt was unsuccessful as Leonhard jumped back and stepped back. ¡°Well, even if I don¡¯t measure it, you will have a fever¡­ Are you planning to arrive at the castle tomorrow with a runny nose?¡± Leonhard sighed. ¡°¡­Do you feel at ease when I¡¯m here?¡± ¡°Of course!¡± Immediately, Celine¡¯s eyes lit up, as though Leonhard understood what she was saying. She made a good bed for herself with blankets and cushions. Seeing so, he leaned against the door with a sigh of resignation. ¡°You must be looking forward to tomorrow night.¡± ¡°Of course. I¡¯m sick of nightmares now.¡± Leonhard looked as if asking the obvious. Celine smiled shyly. ¡°No. You will finally be able to lie down on your bed and go to sleep. You don¡¯t have to protect me.¡± ¡°Ah.¡± Only then did Leonhard realize that this was the last night he and Celine would be in the same room. ¡®It would have been better if it was a more pleasant night since it was the last time.¡¯ However, soon the nightmare of his own arrogance and incompetence will unfold before his eyes, and Celine will witness his abyss. He wanted to avoid that. Leonhard glanced at Celine. She was already looking at the window with sleepy eyes. A smile appeared on Leonhard¡¯s lips. He felt like he didn¡¯t have to argue with Celine since he could just get out of here when she fell asleep. It was her way of keeping both a good night¡¯s sleep and Leonhard¡¯s peace of mind. ¡°¡­There are so many stars. It must be because this place is a wilderness, right?¡± But, as Celine said on a whim, she seemed to want to talk to him. ¡°Isn¡¯t it because the sky is clear today?¡± Leonhard answered dryly. He didn¡¯t like the stars. Stars were reserved for sorcerers and fortune-tellers, and he was not familiar with either. ¡°¡­None.¡± ¡°What?¡± ¡°A star I know.¡± It was a cryptic word that could be considered a sleepy word, though Leonhard did not ridicule Celine. ¡°It must be because the window is small. There are a lot of stars in the sky, and there are few known stars, so it¡¯s only natural that you can¡¯t see them.¡± ¡°Stars, do you know?¡± ¡°¡­No.¡± ¡°It¡¯s not like you to not know anything at all. Anything, please tell me.¡± Leonhard nearly waved his hand to stop her and tell her to sleep, she reminded him of his younger sister who begged him to tell a scary story. Although Celine¡¯s face, gazing out of the window with an awake face, showed a completely different emotion from that. A feeling that can be seen in a soldier who has traveled far from her hometown. Leonhard began to tell the story of the only stars he knew. ¡°In the north, wizards are called stars. I live in a world that is different from other people.¡± Celine looked a little disappointed, but she didn¡¯t complain. ¡°But, the stars live in darkness. And, the stars never disappear even if they are buried in darkness.¡± ¡°Are they warlocks?¡± In Celine¡¯s voice, there was surprise and laughter mixed. ¡°Yes. The blinking star is a wizard who turns into a warlock. That¡¯s why wizards are so dangerous¡­¡± ¡°¡­Pfft.¡± Her laughter shook the carriage. ¡°Ha, haha, hahaha¡­¡± ¡°Is this so funny?¡± Bewildered, Leonhard asked. Still, Celine couldn¡¯t stop her laughter as she wiped the tears from her eyes. ¡°Really, this is a different world.¡± It was true that the northern part was very different from the capital, so Leonhard nodded his head. She smiled at Leonhard with a more relaxed expression on her face. ¡°Thank you.¡± ¡°What?¡± ¡°Thanks to you, I don¡¯t feel sad looking at the stars.¡± ¡°¡­.?¡± While he pondered the meaning of those words, Celine fell into a deep sleep. *** Celine¡¯s eyes lit up. They were in a moving wagon, full of sunlight. She slept well last night without waking up, so her whole body was full of vitality. ¡®Leonhard!¡¯ A shock hit Celine¡¯s head. She didn¡¯t wake up¡­ ¡°Leonhard!¡± Before she thought, the words came out of her throat. ` Immediately, Leonhard leaned his head towards her and poured out questions like a shotgun. ¡°Where are you sick? Shall I set up a carriage? Or, did you have a nightmare?¡± ¡°No, not that¡­ Did you sleep outside yesterday?¡± ¡°I stood guard.¡± As soon as he confirmed that Celine wasn¡¯t screaming at him because she was sick or anxious, he stepped back from her, outright relieved. ¡°You were supposed to be inside!¡± ¡°I just wanted to breathe the cold air.¡± Celine was puzzled and glanced at him. The dark circles under his eyes were back to the same level as when she first saw them. What¡¯s more, his eyes were bloodshot and he was coughing a little. Was her yesterday¡¯s death an ordinary death? To endure that dream alone, even outdoors¡­ Celine was silenced in astonishment, she barely utters a word. ¡°You have a cold.¡± Leonhard shrugged his shoulders. ¡°I was born and raised in the north. Don¡¯t worry, this is nothing.¡± Celine let out a sigh. He couldn¡¯t be bothered. She had no reason to reproach Leonhard, for it was his act of caring for her above all. Moreover, from tonight, Leonard¡¯s bizarre duty to protect her will also disappear. ¡®Then, there will be no such problem.¡¯ She relaxed her expression and changed the subject. ¡°When will we arrive?¡± ¡°We¡¯re almost there.¡± ¡°Yes?¡± ¡°Look out the window.¡± Celine peered out the window unknowingly and almost bit her tongue. They were approaching the huge castle. It wasn¡¯t an ordinary castle. It was made up of dozens of towering towers that seemed to reach the sky and a connecting passageway between them, so anyone who didn¡¯t know would not even notice that it was a castle. ¡®I can¡¯t believe it¡­¡¯ She buried her face in her hands to hide her hardened face. She wanted to scream in despair. She knew this castle. An unidentified ghost castle appeared as a hidden stage that had nothing to do with the main story¡­ ¡®It was so difficult that I gave up in the middle¡­!¡¯ ©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤ Join our discord to receive the latest updates as soon as possible! Chapter 9 Translator and Editor: Effe and Tea ©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤ Chapter 9 Celine was weird. Leonhard watched her with a worried look on his face. Muttering incomprehensibly, Celine trembled like an aspen as they approached Bernoulli Castle. If it was the usual situation, she would have asked him why he was staring at her like that. But Celina had not noticed Leonhard¡¯s scrutiny at all. He stopped asking why. ¡®She must be scared.¡¯ Come to think of it, first-time visitors sometimes were frightened by the appearance of the castle. It was the place where he was born and raised, so he did not understand people who were afraid, but the new home might feel terrifying for Celine. She should be terrified. Leonhard placed his hand on Celine¡¯s shoulder. ¡°It¡¯s okay. Visitors are always surprised the first time. I can¡¯t say that there are no dangerous places by your standards, but don¡¯t worry, there will be an escort maid.¡± As he spoke, the carriage passed through the gates. Celine inhaled and held her breath. The towers woven together by the connecting passage fully revealed their majesty. Her nose turned cold. She remembered a month and a half ago that felt like a distant past in her mind. The hidden stage was full of cunning traps, and even with her good memory, she died multiple times in the same trap. Nothing compares to the first stage, the damned mansion. Celine wished that this moment in the carriage would last forever, but, of course, her wish didn¡¯t come true. The carriage arrived at the destination, and Leonhard disembarked first to help Celine, who was encased in her cloak, to get out. ¡®Cold¡­¡­ !¡¯ She had been in a warm carriage, and as she left, her skin felt frozen. But as soon as the iron gates of the tower were opened, Celine fell into fear dreadful enough to forget the cold. ¨C Chunkyung! In the game, it was the sound she heard when the hidden stage started. Celine followed the steps like a sheep being led to slaughter. ¡®¡­¡­ She is too scared.¡¯ Leonhard looked down at Celine with a worried gaze. Celine was even more nervous than when she went into the forest to repel the boss demon. ¡®Are you so worried about living here?¡¯ The question had not been answered. Celine was confident whenever and wherever she was during the days he spent with her. ¡®Ah.¡¯ A plausible guess popped into Leonhard¡¯s mind. He gently explained to Celine. ¡°It¡¯s okay. I will explain it well, and you will be treated as a guest of our family.¡± ¡­¡­ He got it completely wrong. Celine couldn¡¯t afford to tell Leonhard the truth. He knew that Celine saw the future in her dreams. But what if she told him she dreamed that this place was a ghost castle? Celine tried to calm her heart, which was beating with the force to jump out of her chest at any moment. But as they went on, a familiar sight appeared before her. Stuffed stag head, rows of armor, unmelted ice decorations¡­¡­. Celine wrapped her arms around herself. She wanted to hold Leonhard¡¯s hand, but she didn¡¯t know what it meant to hold his hand in Bernoulli Castle. ¡®Calm down, it was a ghost castle, and this place is full of living people. There are no ghosts!¡¯ The ghost in the game was not a ghost in the sense that there were no people. Literally, it was a ghost castle where real ghosts appeared and tried to kill the main character. ¡°Are there no ghosts in this castle?¡± ¡°Ghosts?¡± Leonhard frowned. ¡°Is it that scary? I¡¯ve never heard of such a rumor.¡± Celine was a little relieved. At least as far as Leonhard knows, this is not a haunted castle. ¡°Leonhard!¡± A figure suddenly appeared in front of them with a bright squeal. ¡°You¡¯re finally here!¡± A red-haired girl in her late teens hugged Leonhard. A smile crept across Leonhard¡¯s face. ¡°How are you, Natasha?¡± ¡°How can I be? Rather, this person¡­¡­.¡± ¡°Right.¡± Leonhard nodded to his sister, who seemed full of curiosity. ¡°This is Miss Celine Hunt. Celine, this is Natasha. My little sister.¡± Natasha smiled brightly. ¡°It¡¯s really nice to see you! You don¡¯t know how long Leon has been looking for you!¡± Celine couldn¡¯t utter a single word of greeting. The whole world seemed to be spinning. Red hair on fire, sapphire eyes resembling Leonhard, a beauty mark just below her eyes, a gorgeous butterfly decoration on her head, and a fluttering dress that did not suit the chilly castle. There was no blood covering her body and no hole in her chest, but Celine could recognize the girl in front of her. Natasha Bernoulli was the first ghost the protagonist encounters when entering the Hidden Stage. ¡°Celine?¡± Leonhard¡¯s voice barely registered in Celine¡¯s mind. ¡°Oh, I¡¯m, I¡¯m sorry.¡± ¡°Oh, you have nothing to be afraid of!¡± Rather than offended, Natasha looked amused. ¡°Leon, what did you say? She was very scared.¡± A warm, soft hand, far from ghostly, grabbed Celine¡¯s hand. Celine froze in place and pressed her lips together tightly. ¡°Don¡¯t worry! This man has a special ability to scare! I don¡¯t know what you heard, but we didn¡¯t come to you with the intention of harming you.¡± Celine inhaled slowly, relaxing herself. ¡°¡­¡­ I know.¡± ¡°Wait, are you sick?¡± Leonhard grabbed Celine¡¯s hand from Natasha. ¡°Look at me!¡± Celine looked up at Leonhard who eyed her seriously. ¡°It¡¯s okay.¡± ¡°What¡¯s the matter?¡± Natasha took turns looking at each of them curiously. Leonhard answered briefly. ¡°Celine is weak in her body.¡± ¡°It looks like that. Shall I call Doctor Blanche?¡± ¡°Celine, would you like me to call the doctor?¡± ¡°No. It¡¯s really okay.¡± When Celine answered firmly, Leonhard did not press any further. ¡°Natasha, are Mother and Father all here?¡± ¡°Father went hunting.¡± ¡°Again¡­¡­!¡± Celine opened her eyes in surprise. Leonhard¡¯s face reddened instantly, and his fists were clenched with the force to strike somewhere at any moment. ¡°I told him not to go out like that!¡± Natasha shrugged her shoulders indifferently. ¡°He is not one to listen to us. He insisted on not knowing when Leon would return. How do I stop him? Besides, Father said he enjoys hunting monsters.¡± ¡°¡­¡­ I get it. Then Mother?¡± ¡°She will be working.¡± Leonhard nodded his head and began walking toward the gate. Celine was as close to him as possible. ¡°You¡¯re close.¡± Natasha had a teasing tone. ¡°It¡¯s not like that.¡± ¡°It¡¯s not like that!¡± Natasha chuckled, and Leonhard sighed. ¡°I will explain soon. In front of my Mother.¡± ¡°Wow, are you serious enough to tell Mother?¡± They arrived at an antique gate. Leonhard grabbed the wolf-head handle and opened the door. Celine stopped breathing momentarily. Her earlier fear upon meeting Natasha returned with vengeance. Celine did not even recognize Leonhard¡¯s voice as he introduced her to the Grand Duchess. Not because of the Grand Duchess sweeping over her with cold eyes, not because of the cliffs behind her, not because of the white roses filling the room. It was because of the little boy who looked at them with a puzzled expression as he read at a little desk next to the Grand Duchess. He had bright yellow eyes and Natasha¡¯s red hair, and freckles were scattered all over his face. It was the second ghost encountered by the player who entered the Hidden Stage. ¡°Come here.¡± The cold voice penetrated Celine¡¯s consciousness. She moved forward slowly. At that moment, Leonhard blocked her way. The Grand Duchess raised her eyebrows. ¡°What?¡± ¡°Mother, I have something to explain.¡± ¡°¡­¡­.¡± The Grand Duchess stared intently at her eldest son. ¡°Celine dies easily.¡± ¡°What?¡± ¡®That guy¡­¡­!¡¯ Celine was dumbfounded, and her mind went blank for a moment. She knew that Leonhard would often say something outrageous about her, but she didn¡¯t know he would say something like that in such an important situation. She strode beside Leonhard. ¡°I will explain! Even if I die, I don¡¯t die. So, no matter how much I die, I come back to life!¡± Celine tried not to be conscious of the little boy as he stared at her piercingly. As Celine recalled, the kid stabbed the player with a dagger studded with goat horns. ¡°Are you immortal?¡± ¡°Yes. But it¡¯s half. I die easily. And every time I feel the pain.¡± The Grand Duchess seemed to have realized something about her. ¡°No way¡­¡­ Leonhard.¡± ¡°I see her dying in my dreams. All night long!¡± ¡°And since I came back to life and died again, there was no end.¡± A heavy silence settled in the room. The Grand Duchess slowly opened her mouth. ¡°¡­¡­ So, as long as Miss Hunt doesn¡¯t die, Leonhard can get a good night¡¯s sleep.¡± Leonhard affirmed. ¡°Yes. It has already been verified.¡± The Grand Duchess frowned. ¡°You still look tired, don¡¯t you?¡± ¡°¡­¡­.¡± Natasha inhaled sharply. ¡°Miss Hunt died again! Even after meeting Leon!¡± Celine nodded her head. ¡°I told you. She dies easily.¡± Unlike Natasha, who looked very surprised, the Grand Duchess kept a cool expression throughout. ¡°Mother, we need a skilled escort maid. Someone who can stick around anytime, anywhere.¡± ¡°¡­¡­ What should I do about this?¡± The Grand Duchess looked a little troubled. ¡°Marchioness Maenhaben said she needed escort maids, so we sent all but three of Natasha¡¯s and seven of mine.¡± Leonhard began to panic. It was impossible to further reduce the number of escort maids of his mother and sister. However, it did not uphold the prestige of the Grand Duchy to bring back the escort maid who had once been sent to Marchioness Maenhaben. The Grand Duchess sighed. ¡°I will find out. But I need time to get the escort I sent to the Marchioness back or another family escort. Until then, you have no choice but to take the risk.¡± ¡°It¡¯s not possible!¡± Leonhard blurted hastily. The Grand Duchess looked surprised and blinked her eyes. ¡°¡­¡­Leonhard?¡± ¡°She is a woman who drowns while taking a bath alone, and stumbles and dies while walking on a well-maintained road! You can never leave her alone!¡± ¡°¡­¡­ It¡¯s more serious than it looks.¡± Natasha mumbled, then offered in a cheerful voice, as if she had a good idea. ¡°How about staying with me?¡± ¡°No.¡± ¡°Why!¡± Natasha immediately protested against Leonhard¡¯s resolute reply. ¡°Why? I thought you would want me to do it?¡± ¡°It¡¯s not¡­¡­ you¡¯re clumsy too. I have to be able to trust it.¡± ¡°Don¡¯t think that everyone in the world should be as flawless as Leon!¡± The Grand Duchess raised her hand and restrained the quarreling siblings. ¡°I decided. Miss Hunt stays with Natasha until the escort comes.¡± Natasha guided Celine to her own tower, humming with a triumphant face. Leonhard tried to follow, but he was vehemently rejected by Natasha and forced to withdraw. Celine gulped, trying to control her trembling. ¡°Are you so scared of me?¡± Of course she failed. ©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤ Join our discord to receive the latest updates as soon as possible! Chapter 10 Translator and Editor: Effe and Tea ©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤ Chapter 10 ¡°I was just nervous¡­¡­.¡± Natasha stared at Celine. ¡°Huh, Leon may be deceived, but I¡¯m not fooled. What the hell did he say about me?¡± ¡°He didn¡¯t say anything.¡± ¡°Then, there is no reason to be afraid?¡± ¡­¡­ more or less. ¡°I was just nervous. I am a bit shy.¡± ¡°I see. Relax.¡± Natasha tapped Celine on the back. ¡°The escort maids will also be introduced soon, so what would they think if the new guest was so frightened?¡± They reached a crimson door at the end of a long hallway. As Natasha pulled the door, a sweet scent wafted out. Celine looked around. From the wallpaper to the murals on the ceiling, everything was covered in pink, and even expensive furniture was painted in different shades of pink. ¡°Isn¡¯t it cool? Leon hates it so much. But it¡¯s my room, so I¡¯ll have it decorated my way!¡± Natasha flopped down on the sofa and rang the bell. Immediately the maid appeared. ¡°Princess, did you call?¡± ¡°Call Aria, El, Miriam. Right now.¡± Celine thought it would take some time, but in just a few minutes all three escort maids appeared before them. Natasha introduced each and every one of them. ¡°And this is Celine Hunt. She is a guest of our family. She¡¯ll stay in my room until another one of your colleagues comes along. She is very weak, so be careful!¡± ¡°It is an honor to have you here.¡± The three responded at the same time as if they were one body. Celine tried to answer, but her mouth didn¡¯t move. She knew all three! On the Hidden Stage, Natasha¡¯s ghost did not walk alone. Her appearance meant that three other ghosts were about to attack the protagonist. ¡®What is all this¡­¡­.¡¯ Celine was overcome with fear and confusion. She thought that if only she came to the North, she would be freed from all danger, but the reality was just endless mode. ¡®No, calm down, calm down! Did you realize that the game and this place are different through Leonhard?¡¯ Celine smiled at the three. ¡°Nice to meet you all. Please take care of me in the future!¡± Natasha immediately grabbed Celine. ¡°I¡¯ll show you the room you¡¯ll be staying in. The three of them will take turns guarding.¡± After an hour. Celine collapsed into a chair, exhausted from running around from the bottom to the top of the tower. Natasha looked a bit perplexed. ¡°Like Leon said, your body is really weak. Shall I call a doctor? What would you like to drink?¡± ¡°¡­ please give me some water.¡± Immediately, a glass of cold, fresh water was held in Celine¡¯s hand. Natasha glanced openly at every part of her body. ¡°The reason you die so easily is probably because of your physical strength. Look at me.¡± She rolled up the sleeves of her fluttering dress. Her strong muscles were exposed. ¡°I train every day. Would you like to join me?¡± Celine laughed, but Natasha repeated the invitation with a serious face. ¡°If you want to live here, you need physical strength! Oh, I heard that there are women who can¡¯t ride horses in the capital. It¡¯s not Celine, isn¡¯t it?¡± ¡°I can¡¯t.¡± Natasha covered her mouth, realizing that she was being somewhat rude, she apologized. ¡°Sorry, horseback riding is common sense in the North. So what, do you like knitting and embroidery? El is very good at embroidering. I¡¯m so jealous.¡± ¡°Uh¡­¡­ no.¡± ¡°It¡¯s okay, I hate it too. So what do you like?¡± She suddenly remembered that she could neither laugh nor cry, that if it had been two months ago, she would have answered that it was a horror movie, a horror novel, or a horror game. Celine picked the best answer. ¡°I like books.¡± ¡°Ah, books.¡± Natasha frowned. ¡°I¡¯m sorry, I don¡¯t like it very much, so I don¡¯t do it. But there¡¯s a library. You have plenty of time, so come anytime.¡± ¡°Thank you.¡± Celine thanked her. ¡°It¡¯s nothing.¡± While they were chatting like that, Arya appeared. ¡°Princess, it¡¯s Miss Hunt¡¯s welcome reception tonight.¡± ¡°I understand.¡± Natasha nodded her head and sighed. ¡°It must be the thinking of my father. The guests must be greeted with all the heart of the North, or something.¡± ¡°Do I need to prepare anything?¡± ¡°No. Celine, just sit there quietly. Yes, just like right now.¡± Natasha chuckled. ¡°It¡¯s just boring.¡± Three hours later, Celine realized that it was usually not easy to just sit quietly. ¡°Welcome. I couldn¡¯t treat the guest properly because I was out before.¡± Grand Duke Bernoulli greeted Celine with bright yellow eyes. Celine sighed in relief. The Grand Duke and the Grand Duchess had never been seen as ghosts. At least through the segment that Celine played. The Grand Duke formally introduced his children. The boy she saw in the Grand Duchess¡¯s office was Martin, the youngest son of the Grand Ducal couple. The food started coming out little by little. Celine tried to catch her breath, and bit the pre-dinner bread carefully. It wasn¡¯t because of her fear or nervousness. For the first time in her life, she was wearing clothes that belonged to someone else, so she couldn¡¯t say a word and was only served by the maids. Wearing a corset for the first time in her life, Celine couldn¡¯t breathe properly. Besides, perhaps because she was constantly nervous, her stomach was quite bloated because of the water she kept drinking for her dry throat. ¡®I didn¡¯t know it would be this uncomfortable!¡¯ The Grand Duchy¡¯s band began to play music. Celine took a deep breath. ¡°Hoo, hoo¡­¡­.¡± ¡°Are you sick?¡± Immediately Leonhardt, who sat across from her, responded. Celine shook her head. A reception held for her own sake. She knew nothing of the manners of this world, but she did know that she should not leave early. Besides, didn¡¯t Natasha mention that a while ago, this reception was held in order to give her the status of a guest of the Grand Duchy. The Grand Duke asked anxiously. ¡°It doesn¡¯t suit your taste?¡± ¡°No. It¡¯s delicious.¡± Celine struggled to smile and ate the soup. ¡°Miss Hunt needs to eat a little more. You¡¯re so skinny, that¡¯s why you¡¯re weak!¡± In an instant, she felt dizzy, and a flash of colored afterimages flashed before her eyes as if dozens of colored light bulbs had been turned on and off. Celine tried to inhale, but her whole body was as heavy as lead. -Thud! It was the last thing she heard before Celine died of suffocation due to the corset. ¡°¡­¡­ line!¡± Celine blinked her eyes. The pressure on her body was gone. Looking sharp as if he could cut through a person any second, Leonhardt grabbed her hand tightly. ¡°If you feel uncomfortable, you should talk to me!¡± ¡°It happened just like that.¡± Celine smiled vaguely. ¡°Doesn¡¯t Leonhard have that kind of experience? It¡¯s all over if I stammer.¡± ¡°¡­¡­ Seeing your mouth moving, you look fine!¡± Leonhardt sat next to Celine with a more relieved look. ¡°The welcome reception must have been a mess because of me.¡± ¡°It doesn¡¯t matter.¡± He protested harshly. ¡°You are the guest I brought myself! There was no need for a welcome party!¡± Celine looked around. They were in a small room. A corset lying on the floor in the corner caught her eye. ¡°Did you remove it yourself?¡± Celine¡¯s voice contained only surprise, not reproach. Leonhard sighed. ¡°I don¡¯t know how to undo that! Natasha¡¯s escort maids took care of it.¡± ¡°You should have left me with them and left. If there is no guest, the successor who brought the guest must be present.¡± Leonhardt laughed. ¡°Celine Hunt, just one thing like this doesn¡¯t shake your position. I guarantee.¡± Celine got up. She was ready to go right back, as the escort maids had her dress completely smoothed, except for the corset. She died. It won¡¯t be long before she revives, so there¡¯s still time left at the welcome reception. ¡°Let¡¯s go back.¡± ¡°¡­¡­ Are you okay?¡± ¡°Leonhardt, I¡¯ve been through a lot more deaths than this, haven¡¯t I? Besides, I couldn¡¯t eat properly because of that corset.¡± Leonhard didn¡¯t hesitate any longer and stood up. ¡°As you wish, Lady.¡± As soon as they entered the banquet hall, everything went silent. Celine proudly walked to her seat and sat down. The Grand Duke immediately asked with concern. ¡°Are you feeling okay?¡± ¡°Yes. I went camping last night, and I didn¡¯t feel well. It¡¯s a lot better when I get some rest.¡± ¡°Father, as expected, I told you that it would be better to hold the reception after Miss Hunt adjusts to it!¡± Natasha gave a scolding and ordered her band to uplift her favorite tunes. ¡°It¡¯s fine now. I¡¯m just hungry.¡± Celine smiled and put a tender veal steak into her mouth. ¡°Delicious!¡± It wasn¡¯t empty words. The succulent veal steak was unlike any of the cheap steaks she ate before she fell into this world. ¡°I can see that you are feeling better when you get some rest. It will lift you up a lot.¡± The table where the Grand Duchy¡¯s family and their guests were seated soon turned into a friendly atmosphere. Except for one, Leonhard Bernoulli, whose nightmare was scheduled. The reception ended late in the evening. Exhausted, Celine was led by the escort maids to wash her body and change into comfortable pajamas. She immediately lay down on the bed. Before she fell asleep, she lifted her head slightly and saw El leaning against the door embroidering. ¡®Leonhardt!¡¯ Celine recalled the fact that she had forgotten in her surprise. Leonhardt will see and feel her death over and over again tonight. ¡®¡­¡­ No wonder.¡¯ She asked him one day if there was anyone in the North to wake him up. Leonhard asked back then how could he show his weakened self to others all night long? But, Leonhardt had to protect her, so that led Celine to share his nightmare? Now that Celine has an escort maid to protect her, Leonhardt has to endure all the agonizing nights alone. ¡®¡­¡­ I can¡¯t.¡¯ Celine jumped out of bed. El shook her head with a startled look ¡°Miss?¡± ¡°I need to see Leo¡­.. the Lord. Right Now.¡± ¡°At this time? If you have something to convey to him, I will tell him separately.¡± ¡°No. I have to go and tell him in person. It has a lot to do with the reason the Lord brought me here.¡± El stood up with a reluctant face. Celine was proud. She didn¡¯t lie. ¡°Then just give the Lord time to inform him in advance.¡± ¡°I have to go right now!¡± Celine exclaimed desperately. Naturally, Leonhardt will throw her out. The only way was to go in person and ask if he would send her back when she had come this far. ¡°¡­¡­ I understand.¡± El got up from her seat. Celine put on a thick coat. ¡°It is cold outside. Be careful, because you may die.¡± ©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤ Join our discord to receive the latest updates as soon as possible! Chapter 11 Translator and Editor: Effe and Tea ©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤ Chapter 11 ¡°¡­¡­ !¡± El looked at Celine¡¯s bewildered face and sighed. ¡°It happened at the reception, did you think we wouldn¡¯t know? The Princess has given us all the facts.¡± Celine nodded her head. She thought El granted her request more readily than she thought, so there was a reason. After walking for several dozen minutes, Celine stood in front of a door carved with a giant wolf. She placed her hand on the doorknob. Just then. The door opened from the inside. Leonhardt, wrapped in fur around his body and preparing to wear a hat, looked down at her. ¡°¡­¡­ What are you doing here?¡± For a moment, Celine was speechless. It was because the fur-wrapped Leonhardt was so handsome. ¡°I asked. What are you doing here?¡± ¡°¡­¡­ You know.¡± Immediately pulling herself together, Celine raised her head and looked directly at Leonhardt. Leonhard sighed. ¡°Go back.¡± ¡°I came all the way here!¡± Leonhard shook his head. ¡°Tonight, I am not here.¡± ¡°Where are you going?¡± Celine¡¯s voice trembled slightly. ¡°Night hunting. Father went to hunt a solitary monster, and found a group of them.¡± Celine inhaled sharply. ¡°No way, all night¡­¡­ ?¡± Leonhard nodded. ¡°Yes. Normally, it wouldn¡¯t take that long, but there¡¯s a problem, so I can¡¯t help it.¡± ¡°What if you have nightmares while fighting monsters?¡± Celine felt something, a hotness, tightening her chest. Leonhardt replied calmly. ¡°Then the monster will wake me up. It even makes me feel grateful.¡± ¡°¡­¡­.¡± Celine couldn¡¯t answer. ¡°So go back.¡± ¡°You can go during the day!¡± She sounded hoarse. ¡°In the morning, it is time for the leader to metastasize. You know now that we have to stop it before that.¡± Leonhardt looked at her for a moment and then staggered past her. There was no need for him to rush, but his heart ached as he looked into Celine¡¯s offended blue-gray eyes. ¡°¡­¡­ I will go too!¡± ¡°No.¡± ¡°Why, is it dangerous? This is before the leader metastasizes!¡± ¡°It¡¯s not like that.¡± Leonhardt turned his head slightly to look at Celine. ¡°I lack¡­¡­ strength.¡± Surprised, El gasped, although she had only been watching them quietly. There was no one in this castle who did not know that Leonhard Bernoulli¡¯s arrogance pierced the sky. He himself acknowledged that he lacked strength. El could confidently say that not even the Grand Duke and his wife would ever have heard such a thing from Leonhard. ¡°That day, I realized.¡± ¡°Leonhardt.¡± The small woman wrapped in a thick coat approached Leonhardt. ¡°If you are perfect, why would I go with you? Alone would be enough.¡± ¡°¡­¡­ Celine!¡± Leonhardt was perplexed and took a step back. ¡°If I am dangerous enough to be a burden, I will not go. Please be honest!¡± Leonhardt¡¯s lips twitched, then closed again without making a sound. ¡®Shall I say that they are very dangerous monsters? As soon as we met, her body was shattered¡­¡­.¡¯ But Leonhard couldn¡¯t lie to the blue-grey eyes that looked up at him. ¡°It¡¯s much weaker than the ones I saw that day. But the monsters in the north are more clever than the monsters in the capital. You have to pull yourself together.¡± ¡°See. You need to keep your mind straight, but how do you deal with monsters while falling asleep?¡± ¡°¡­¡­.¡± Celine knew she had won and she smiled. ¡°Give me a hat, too!¡± After a while. Celine breathed in the cold night air. Her hat was pressed down to her ears, and a scarf was wrapped around her neck, so she felt the cold northern air as a refreshing cool breeze. Leonhardt drove the horse more carefully than the day they first met. ¡°If you don¡¯t just run at full speed, I won¡¯t die.¡± Celine tried to reassure him, but Leonhard didn¡¯t speed up, only snapped a brief reply that he knew. She looked out over the plains as the view swayed to the rhythm of the horse¡¯s movement. The full moon scattered dim moonlight on the unknown grasses. Suddenly, the horse stopped, standing tall. Celine wondered if Leonhardt had stopped, but before she could say anything the horse snorted and rolled its feet as if there was a veil through which it could no longer advance. The two cautiously got off their horses. Leonhardt grabbed Celine¡¯s right hand with his left hand. ¡°I should do like I did before, right? When a demon appears, I hide behind your back.¡± Celine asked in a clear voice. It would be a lie if she said she wasn¡¯t scared at all, but she was the one who insisted and followed. ¡°No.¡± Leonhard stared at Celine for a moment, then turned his head to look forward. ¡°Don¡¯t let go of my hand.¡± ¡°Then how will Leonhardt fight¡­¡­ !¡± ¡°Shh.¡± Leonhard put a long finger to his lips. Celine bit his mouth right away, but when she saw him grinning, she realized she had been tricked. ¡°Leonhardt!¡± At that time, goosebumps flooded Celine¡¯s whole body. The roar of a terrifying beast was heard not far away, and the stench was palpable. Leonhardt was surprisingly unresponsive. Celine wasn¡¯t stupid. A horde of monsters is nearby. Celine quickly tried to release Leonhardt¡¯s hand, but Leonhardt grabbed her hand and pulled out Rashir. ¡°Remember what I said.¡± ¡°Yes.¡± Among the grasses, the bizarre creatures Celine had seen a few days before appeared. The teeth and claws that had ripped bodies to shreds glistened in the moonlight. Power entered Celine¡¯s whole body. She closed her eyes tightly and opened them. ¡®I¡¯m here to help Leonhardt. I didn¡¯t come to be a burden.¡¯ The next moment, Celine¡¯s body floated off the ground and she landed. Leonhardt was pulling her hard. She was constantly shaken by Leonhardt¡¯s movements. Rashir flashed in front of her, and she heard the sound of fire burning behind her, and Leonhardt shouting. She could feel the screams and stench of the demons tearing apart her eardrums, and the breath of death. However, Celine never let go of Leonhardt¡¯s hand, and Leonhardt never released the strength that held her. How long had it been Even though the time that felt quite long for Celine had passed, Leonhard was still wielding Rashir among the piles of monster corpses. His sharp eyes were as calm as a placid lake, and there was no hesitation in his relentless movements. Celine felt that her mind was gradually calmed. The memories of the enemies, which had been torn to shreds, seemed to disappear along with the lives of the dying monsters, without their claws reaching her. ¡®Maybe this is why Leonhardt brought me here.¡¯ It must have been his own consideration that made him hold her hand instead of hiding behind his back like she did before. Suddenly, Celine¡¯s mind wandered. The strength slowly loosened from Leonhardt¡¯s hand holding her tightly. Celine hastily grabbed him, but Leonhardt, far from waking up, began to groan in pain. Although the number had decreased a lot, there were still sizable monsters that began to approach him with their eyes shining. ¡°Leonhardt!¡± Celine shouted at him and grabbed his arm. ¡°Wake up, Leonhard!¡± Obviously, Leonhardt up until now could just wake up from his sleep just by shouting and shaking his body. But today, he couldn¡¯t come to his senses. Celine¡¯s back started to get wet with cold sweat. ¡°Leonhardt!¡± At that moment, a brave monster attacked over their heads. Leonhardt¡¯s eyes opened only after the monster¡¯s claw tore his cloak, causing him to bleed. -Chaeng! The monster was cut in half in an instant and disappeared behind them. Leonhardt looked at Celine in a cold sweat. ¡°¡­¡­ You shouldn¡¯t have come!¡± ¡°Why can¡¯t you wake up? If you can¡¯t get up even if someone else wakes you up¡­¡­.¡± Leonhard shook his head. ¡°Can it change like that in one day? I think it¡¯s because we¡¯re hunting at night. Surrounded by stimuli that cannot be felt by the touch of a hand.¡± -Chaeng! Chaeng! Chaeng! Every time he spoke a few words, the demons broke apart one by one. Celine bit her lip. ¡°Next time, I¡¯ll even slap you on the cheek!¡± ¡°I have a good idea.¡± ¡°¡­¡­ ?¡± Suddenly, a chill covered her whole body. It took Celine a few seconds to realize the situation. Leonhardt removed her coat gently in an instant. But before Celine could feel goosebumps, Leonhardt pulled her into his arms and covered the coat. ¡°If I fall asleep again, kick my shin with your knee.¡± All Celine could see was Leonhard¡¯s chest. With only the soft moonlight, the pattern of the Grand Duchy shone brightly. Leonhardt wrapped his arms around her waist and moved as swiftly as when he had only held her hand. Ironically, Celine felt like she was performing a dance she had never done before. At that moment, Leonhardt¡¯s movements stopped again. Celine didn¡¯t hesitate, and with all her might, she pierced his stomach with her fist. ¡°Heup¡­¡­ !¡± Leonhardt opened his eyes and looked down at Celine for a moment, and then he struck down the monsters that rushed at them. ¡°It works.¡± ¡°Finally, it helped!¡± Celine couldn¡¯t hide her growing smile. Leonhardt laughed. ¡°Is it that good that you hit me?¡± ¡°Let¡¯s just say that.¡± Ten minutes later, Leonhardt fell into a nightmare again and took a deep breath. Celine clenched her fist again this time, but Leonhardt did not wake up because of her lack of strength. She kicked her shin as Leonhardt said. This time it worked. Finally, Leonhardt released Celine from his arms. There were no living monsters, and the vast expanse was filled with the stinking corpses of monsters. Celine let out a sigh of relief a little bit. ¡°It would be really hard to deal with these things¡­¡­.¡± ¡°It¡¯s not true.¡± Leonhard shrugged, stroking his bruised shin. It was a little tingly, but it was far better than any night hunt he had ever had with nightmares. He only woke up after being wounded by a monster, so he had had to pull out dozens of claws and teeth from his whole body with his bare mind. ¡°After a few days, these corpses will decompose. Then only teeth and horns will remain.¡± ¡°Ughh¡­¡­.¡± Celine was fed up. ¡°Isn¡¯t that the most terrible part left?¡± ¡°It¡¯s not wrong.¡± Leonhard agreed. ¡°But their horns and teeth are full of magical power. When refined by skilled wizards, it becomes a top-notch magic stone. It is the main source of income for the North.¡± Celine trembled at the slightly horrifying realization. If these corpses are the main source of income in the North, how many monsters has Leonhardt slaughtered? Celine looked down at the hideous teeth in front of her. It was as dense as a fish¡¯s tooth, but as large and sharp as a viper¡¯s fang. ¡°I thought the magic stone was something like a jewel.¡­.¡± The magic stone, which was obviously an in-game item, was shaped like a jewel of various colors. ¡°Oh, have you seen it? Magic stones do look like jewels.¡± ¡°¡­¡­ ?¡± ¡°When a skillful wizard refines it, it shines brighter than any other jewel. It would be hard to believe.¡± Leonhard looked into the round blue-gray rabbit eyes and smiled slightly. ¡°I¡¯ll give you one of these jewels if you want. It¡¯s just a pretty stone to non-magicians, but keep it as a souvenir.¡± ©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤ Join our discord to receive the latest updates as soon as possible! Chapter 12 Translator and Editor: Effe and Tea ©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤ Chapter 12 Celine stared intently at the magic stone Leonhard¡¯s large, firm hand had placed in her palm. ¡°Pretty¡­¡­ !¡± Exclamations flowed out of her mouth. The red magic stone was more beautiful than any ruby, coral or garnet she had ever seen. As he said, it was as beautiful as a jewel, and shimmered more than a jewel. Celine looked at the magic stone in her hand as if possessed. Perhaps because of the body temperature, the magic stone emitted a more intense light as if the brilliance it had been hiding was gradually released. Celine smiled as she looked at the red light, and she felt like a fool before she lifted her head to say thank you to Leonhardt. ¡®Why are you doing that?¡¯ She got goosebumps for no reason. Leonhardt, who had become paler than ever, was frozen and staring at the magic stone. ¡°What¡¯s wrong?¡± Celine¡¯s doubts were resolved as soon as she took one step closer to Leonhardt. The small magic stone filled the room with a bright red light as if dozens of fluorescent lamps were turned on at once. Surprised, Celine put the magic stone back into the box. No, she tried to put it in. Until she realized that the magic stone that had been in her hand a while ago had disappeared. ¡°Celine!¡± Leonhardt called her. Celine blinked. Her chest plummeted. The whole place was filled with red light, but Leonhard was nowhere to be seen. ¡°Celine!¡± ¡°I¡­¡­ can¡¯t see. Anything¡­¡­.¡± She was dizzy and a blood-cooling thought crept into Celine¡¯s mind. ¡®I¡¯m going to die again.¡¯ But strangely, she felt no pain. Her consciousness did not falter. She only felt light and heat. ¡°I¡¯m here.¡± Suddenly, Leonhard¡¯s voice rang in her ear. Celine inhaled. She felt Leonhard¡¯s hand reaching for her. ¡°Do not panic. It¡¯s no big deal.¡± ¡°It¡¯s no big deal!¡± A sudden tickling in her stomach gave her the urge to laugh, and Celine laughed uncontrollably. At that moment, Leonhard¡¯s strangely calm voice was heard. ¡°Walk slowly.¡± ¡°Yes?¡± ¡°Walk. Come this way.¡± Celine followed Leonhardt without asking any further questions. Leonhardt slowly pulled her somewhere in an unknown direction, and Celine moved her body, relying solely on him. As she walked, the red light faded little by little, and finally disappeared completely, revealing Leonhard¡¯s face. ¡°What¡­¡­ What?¡± Celine asked, stunned. An event like this had never happened in a game. A magic stone was a unit of currency that could be used to purchase items, and in the game, the player had never obtained it. Leonhardt replied softly, but his face was still stiff. ¡°Congratulations. You seem to have the talents of a wizard.¡± ¡°Yes¡­¡­ ?¡± Celine looked down at the floor, stunned, and closed her eyes, startled by the wriggling afterimage. ¡°I feel dizzy.¡± ¡°You will.¡± Leonhard patted her on the back. ¡°You have absorbed the highest quality magic stone made from monster horns.¡± ¡°I¡¯m not going to die again, am I?¡± Celine confided in her speculation that her chest was tight. ¡°As far as I know, the chances are slim.¡± ¡°Phew¡­¡­.¡± Celine sighed in relief and tried to walk, but she blinked her eyes in surprise. Her steps felt so light! It wasn¡¯t just that. The air was fresh and the sun was shining. Somewhere in the distance, a bird chirping reached her ears. Celine looked at Leonhardt. His handsome face looked brighter than usual. Everything Celine saw, heard, and felt was more colorful and beautiful, as if a veil had been removed from her eyes. She grinned at the bald head of the statue shining in the sunlight, and then without thinking she asked the first question that popped into her head. ¡°Is it because of magic?¡± ¡°That¡¯s right.¡± Leonhardt immediately agreed. ¡°It¡¯s better than I thought. Magic was like this¡­¡­.¡± ¡°¡­¡­.¡± Leonhardt didn¡¯t answer, but Celine didn¡¯t care. She was dazzled by the new world that opened before her. ¡°Celine.¡± ¡°Yes?¡± Leonhard looked into Celine¡¯s eyes as she looked up at him with a grin. Anxiety gripped his chest tightly. A person born with wizard qualities is one in hundreds. Celine¡¯s discovery of her rare talent is something to celebrate. Besides, it was fortunate for Celine and for him. With the power of magic in her hands, Celine will surely die less than before. However, Leonhard did not have a deep friendship with wizards. Nine years ago, he killed the warlock he thought was a close friend with his own hands. Leonhard clenched his teeth tightly. Celine won¡¯t be like that. Wizards are glorious and powerful. Her position in the North will be consolidated and her death opportunities will be reduced, so he should rejoice. But Leonhard couldn¡¯t feel so pleased. ¡°Leonhardt is so handsome!¡± ¡°What¡­¡­ ?¡± ¡°Oh, don¡¯t worry. Because I always thought you were handsome. But now, it¡¯s even better!¡± Leonhardt couldn¡¯t say anything, startled by Celine¡¯s attempt to caress his cheek. He had heard of the behavior of the wizards who first embraced magic. Some get ugly, some fall asleep, some say nonsense and some talk a lot, it¡¯s like being drunk. Celine seemed to belong to the last group. ¡°You know this? I¡¯m kind of happy. I heard that being a wizard is hard.¡± ¡°It¡¯s not that difficult, it¡¯s impossible without talent.¡± ¡°I guess I was lucky though. I have to study hard in the future.¡± ¡°¡­¡­ It is not easy.¡± ¡°I know.¡± A sigh escaped Leonhard¡¯s mouth. How can she know, she didn¡¯t even know until last night that monster horns and teeth turned into magic stones! Celine didn¡¯t stop babbling until she reached Natasha¡¯s tower. ¡°Leonhard, do you know this?¡± ¡°¡­¡­ what is it?¡± ¡°Now, I am not going to die!¡± ¡°I really hope so.¡± ¡°No no.¡± Celine¡¯s eyes were full of unexplained conviction. ¡°I can tell.¡± *** Celine slept all day. In her dream, prisms scattered iridescent light, and colorful flowers bloomed in an instant before falling to the ground and rotting over and over again. The place where they rotted was infested with maggots. It wasn¡¯t a very pleasant sight, but she couldn¡¯t take her eyes off it. Still, she thought it was a sight to behold, and soon after, Celine found herself screaming in her dreams. Hundreds of vipers swarmed under her feet, and flames flew right over her head. Suddenly the thorn bush was growing and binding her. Celine just screamed and groaned. Until someone awakened her with a spray of cold water. ¡°Ack!¡± Celine let out a real scream when she woke up, then she screamed even louder. Standing in front of her was a young man she had never seen before. The short silver haircut was the most unusual hair color seen here, so Celine could swear she¡¯d never seen this man in her life. ¡°Who are you!?¡± The man walked over to her and grabbed her wrist. Celine struggled, trying to pull away. El!¡± No one came in. An eerie conjecture flashed through Celine¡¯s mind. ¡®Assassin? I¡¯ll die like this again? But why?¡¯ But to her surprise, the man soon released her wrist and greeted her politely. ¡°Sorry. But I had to make sure the magic stone didn¡¯t cause any side effects, so I had no choice.¡± Celine grabbed her confused head and barely spit out one of her dozens of questions. ¡°¡­¡­ Who are you?¡± ¡°I am Carl Vuillant. I am the only wizard in the Grand Duchy.¡± ¡°¡­¡­ !¡± Celine¡¯s eyes widened. It was a name she knew all too well. Unlike in the game, his hair didn¡¯t reach his shoulders, and he didn¡¯t have a hideous scar on his neck, but she managed to find some resemblance to his in-game character. Karl Vuillant was the main character¡¯s only assistant in the game. He doesn¡¯t appear very often, but he was one of the players¡¯ favorite characters when he left after saving the protagonist¡¯s life with magic in some events. She can¡¯t believe he is right in front of her! Karl elaborated on whether Celine was surprised because she thought she was a wizard. ¡°It¡¯s my first time greeting you. I¡¯ve been on a mission for a while, and I¡¯m back this morning. But I didn¡¯t know Miss Hunt had the talent, and you touched the magic stone¡­¡­.¡± ¡°Wa, was it dangerous?¡± ¡°No.¡± Karl shook his head. ¡°But if you weren¡¯t lucky, you would have had to get a drink to extract the magic stone from your body again. You¡¯re lucky.¡± Celine was slightly relieved. It seemed like luck followed this time around. ¡°I will bring the escort maids. It might explode at any moment, so I sent them all out.¡± As Karl was about to leave, Celine tried to calm her curly hair and asked cautiously. ¡°Well¡­¡­ Can you teach magic?¡± If he was the wizard, he was favorable to the in-game protagonist, and she wanted to learn from Karl, who was portrayed as a powerful wizard. ¡°Me?¡± Karl had a bewildered look. ¡°I am very busy with a lot of duties. The Grand Duke will probably give you a good teacher. Wizards are the treasures of the realm.¡± ¡°I see.¡± Celine closed her eyes. Her head was still spinning, and the situation was not well understood yet, but her one hope lifted her spirits. A new world awaited Celine. A world in which she may no longer die. *** Just as Celine¡¯s headache had subsided a little, she heard a careful knock. It was one of her escort maids, whom Karl offered to call. ¡°Come on in.¡± ¡°Are you okay?¡± Celine¡¯s eyes widened. Naturally, she expected one of the escort maids to come in, but Natasha, in her light clothes, showed up. ¡°I¡¯m fine.¡± Natasha chuckled. ¡°You¡¯re all wet Celine! I¡¯m glad you don¡¯t look sick though.¡± It was then that Celine realized that she was still dripping water from her head. ¡°Ah¡­¡­.¡± ¡°Here, towel!¡± Natasha grabbed a large towel that was hanging over the chair, and handing the towel to Celina, she sat herself in the chair. ¡°What time is it?¡± ¡°Nine in the morning.¡± Leonhardt came to see the magic stone as soon as morning came yesterday and took her hand, so Celine had slept for about a full day. ¡°Everyone must have been worried.¡± ¡°In particular, Rute Karl was the one who was most worried. He said that extracting a wrongly absorbed magic stone is a very difficult and painful task.¡± ¡°Rute?¡± ¡°Wizards are called Rute. Rute Celine!¡± Natasha smiled at Celine. ¡°Congratulations! Now you don¡¯t even have to rely on us. Wizards are welcome everywhere!¡± ¡°¡­¡­ Where am I going?¡± ¡°If the wizard stays here, we are grateful.¡± Natasha rang the bell, and the escort maids rushed in. Everyone was holding a chest. ¡°It¡¯s a gift from my father to the new wizard.¡± ©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤ Join our discord to receive the latest updates as soon as possible! Chapter 13 Translator and Editor: Effe and Tea ©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤ Chapter 13 The chest from Miriam was full of jewels, and the chest from El was full of gold coins. ¡°You better open this yourself.¡± Natasha lifted the most lavishly crafted chest from Arya¡¯s hand and handed it to Celine. She guessed what was inside, so Celine¡¯s hand trembled slightly as she opened the chest. Click. Red, yellow, green, blue, purple¡­¡­. The rainbow of magic stones radiated light and showed off their presence. Celine suddenly got dizzy and immediately closed the chest. She could feel Natasha¡¯s eyes full of anticipation. Celine swallowed nervously. She didn¡¯t know if it was the right time for her to say this now, but she didn¡¯t think things would be different if she postponed it. Celine bowed her head politely to Natasha. ¡°Thank you for the favor. But I can¡¯t be the Grand Duchy¡¯s wizard.¡± ¡°¡­¡­ Raise your head, Celine!¡± Celine slowly raised her head. The same sapphire eyes as Leonhardt were staring at her sharply. ¡°These are just gifts. I¡¯m not asking you to become a wizard in our family, Celine.¡± ¡°However¡­¡­.¡± ¡°Just think. How can you tell someone who dies from wearing a corset to take on a dangerous task?¡± If she¡¯s a wizard, it might be possible. Celine muttered to herself. Magic. [Celine¡¯s Nightmare] Among users, Karl Vuiland¡¯s nickname was the all-rounder key. He rescues the protagonist from a situation where they must have died, and brings the dying protagonist back to life. Even if that is not enough, he gives them a key item to break through the difficulties. In the game, Karl¡¯s omnipotence was described as being a powerful wizard. Of course, if she could become even half as powerful as him, she would not die if she had to die. ¡®Come to think of it, the branch to the true ending was an early meeting with Karl.¡¯ Karl appears for the first time well after the main game is in progress, but according to the strategy, they were able to meet Karl at the beginning of the game. Celine really hated spoilers, so she decided to just watch the guide up to that part, and play afterward. Her disappointment and her regrets seized her. ¡®Really, why did I¡­¡­.¡¯ Celine touched her forehead and realized that Natasha was right in front of her, so she straightened her body. In fact, she didn¡¯t have many options. If she refuses the gift, she declines the favor of the Grand Duke¡¯s family, and she is embarrassed by her position as she has no choice but to stay here. If she accepts the gift¡­¡­ She will one day become a wizard of the Grand Duchy. Celine stared intently at the chest. But if she rejects them, and even if she does, she would continue to entrust herself to the Grand Duchy, and she will have to continue with the Grand Duchy¡¯s support. She bowed her head again to Natasha, trying not to let her thoughts overwhelm her. ¡°I was too worried. Thank you.¡± ¡°Celine.¡± Natasha held Celine¡¯s hand lightly. ¡°It¡¯s been a few days since I met Celine, but I¡¯m very worried. You don¡¯t need to do that!¡± Natasha lifted Celine up. ¡°Come on, change your clothes, and let¡¯s go see Father. He told me to come as soon as you wake up.¡± Immediately the escort maids began to remove the wet clothes from her. Half dazed, Celine followed their lead. All she could think was how she would react in front of the Grand Duke. But a brilliant idea did not come to mind, and Celine faced the benevolent smile of the Grand Duke. ¡°No need to be so nervous.¡± The Grand Duke started the conversation in a soft tone. ¡°It is welcome that you, the family guest, have turned out to be a wizard.¡± ¡°Thank you for the grace.¡± ¡°I haven¡¯t done anything yet, but what?¡± The Grand Duke smiled slightly, and held out a piece of parchment to her. ¡°¡­¡­ !¡± Celine¡¯s eyes widened. It was a certificate. A deed stating that she is a guest of the North, and that if it is a place with friendly relations with the North, she should receive hospitality wherever she goes. ¡°It¡¯s Leonhard¡¯s idea.¡± Celine raised her head in surprise. ¡°No matter what I say, you will be under the auspice of being my wizard.¡± ¡°¡­¡­.¡± ¡°You can go anywhere with this. Wizards will be welcome wherever they are, so you will be safe. Whether you stay here or leave is entirely up to you.¡± ¡°¡­¡­ re, really¡­¡­.¡± Celine was speechless. When she leaves Bernoulli Castle, she is out of sight of Leonhardt. What that means is probably best known to Leonhard himself. ¡°You don¡¯t have to answer me right now.¡± ¡°No.¡± Celine¡¯s voice no longer trembled. ¡°If it¡¯s all right, Your Excellency, I¡¯d like to stay in the North.¡± After a while, Celine carefully closed the door to the Grand Duke¡¯s office and stepped out. She saw a familiar figure. The sleek and huge man she was more familiar with than anyone in the world. ¡°Have you been waiting here?¡± Instead of answering, Leonhard looked at the parchment in Celine¡¯s hand. ¡°Oh, I heard. Leonhardt¡¯s thoughts.¡± ¡°¡­¡­ Have you decided?¡± As Celine nodded her head, she saw a spark in his eyes. ¡°I want to stay.¡± Leonhardt involuntarily stretched out his hand to her, and then pulled back with a flinch. ¡°Think carefully. You may regret it.¡± Celine suddenly felt confused. She thought the certificate was just Leonhardt¡¯s consideration to give her options; now he seemed rather wanting her to leave the North. Celine¡¯s eyes slowly met Leonhard¡¯s. Leonhard turned his head slightly to avoid her gaze but succumbed to her intense stare. ¡°Do you want me to leave?¡± ¡°¡­¡­ That¡¯s not it.¡± Leonhard rubbed his chin with his right hand. ¡°Just¡­¡­ I am worried that you will feel unnecessary pressure.¡± ¡°Of course I do! Why can¡¯t I feel it?¡± Celine deliberately raised her voice. ¡°But, I want to stay because I have a stronger feeling of wanting to be here!¡± ¡°Really?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± Celine reassured Leonhardt with a calm tone again. Leonhard sighed in relief. He really didn¡¯t want her to leave. But he didn¡¯t want her to stay if she felt pressured to be the Rute of the family. ¡°Then¡­¡­ Good luck.¡± Celine aired the doubts that remained in her heart. ¡°If I leave, I will worry that you may continue to have nightmares. How were you planning to handle it?¡± ¡°I meant to go with you.¡± ¡°Yes?¡± Celine looked at Leonhard with her mouth agape. ¡°As¡­¡­ As far as I know¡­¡­.¡± Leonhard smiled very slightly. ¡°As the successor of the North, would you say that it is too irresponsible? However, all the territories you can go to with that certificate are near the northern part. I can protect you enough while doing my duty.¡± ¡°Does the Grand Duke know?¡± ¡°No.¡± Leonhardt replied seriously. ¡°If he had known, he would have definitely been against it.¡± Celine was speechless and looked at Leonhardt. What he just said wasn¡¯t a joke. ¡°I¡¯m glad I stayed. For everyone.¡± ¡°That¡¯s something you don¡¯t know.¡± Leonhardt spoke slowly. ¡°Tell me if you want to leave anytime. I will go with you.¡± *** The wizard who would become Celine¡¯s teacher arrived at the castle in two days. Introducing himself simply as ¡°Emile¡±, the wizard had gray hair on his wrinkle-free skin and she couldn¡¯t tell his age. Their first training was a disaster. ¡°Aacck!¡± Celine opened her eyes, bewildered at the sound of Emile¡¯s screams. She apparently did what Emile told her. With her eyes closed, she felt the magical energy flowing through her body, creating a small spark. Recalling the blue flames blazing on the blade of Lashir¡­¡­. But when she opened her eyes, the spark she had imagined was nowhere to be found. On a hot summer day, a strong wind blew through the entire space like a haze on an asphalt road. Emile¡¯s condition was even worse. He grabbed his gray hair and muttered words she couldn¡¯t understand. Celine was terrified and afraid of anything she had caused, but the heat only grew stronger. ¡°Rute Emile! Calm down!¡± But when Emile heard her voice, he hurriedly ran to the door that led to the top of the castle tower. Celine let out a desperate scream, but Emile didn¡¯t even look back. She slowly suffocated from the heat she had created. Celine felt it. She was dying ¡°Rute Celine!¡± She would have been really dead had it not been for a familiar, but not very, unfamiliar voice. In an instant, the heat disappeared, and a cold winter wind enveloped her. Celine got up as she realized that she had been writing on the cold stone floor. The warm green eyes of Karl Vuiland stared at her. ¡°I felt an unusual magic and came here¡­¡­ It was going to be a big problem. How could such an idiot guide Rute Celine ..¡­ !¡± Karl spoke in a furious voice and approached Celine. ¡°Are you okay?¡± ¡°Oh, no.¡± Celine gasped for a breath of the cold air with her head still spinning, then she slumped to the floor. ¡°Oh, thank you.¡± Karl snorted. ¡°The person you should be grateful to is the one who abandoned Rute Celine and ran away. If something had gone wrong, his neck would have paid.¡± ¡°Why? I was the one who did something wrong¡­¡­.¡± ¡°No.¡± Karl shook his head. ¡°It can happen to wizards who try magic for the first time. That idiot just didn¡¯t respond properly.¡± Karl glanced at her. ¡°Or maybe he underestimated you.¡± ¡°Un, underestimated?¡± ¡°Listen well!¡± Celine got up, placing her hands on the stone floor. Karl¡¯s voice had the power to focus the attention of even those who were about to die. ¡°Rute Celine, the magic stone you came in contact with was the highest quality. Your potential to absorb all that magical energy and have no side effects¡­¡± Karl paused for a moment, as if he couldn¡¯t find the right expression. ¡°That much¡­¡­ was amazing.¡± ¡°¡­¡­.¡± Celine was stunned, unable to say anything. Her heart was still pounding from the shock that she had been on the verge of death, and the fact that her own potential was outstanding gave her both anticipation and apprehension. ¡°It¡¯s dangerous. For me.¡± ¡°Yes.¡± Yes, for courtesy, he could have denied it, but Karl immediately nodded his head. A look of concern and expectancy crossed his face. ¡°Rute Celine, I told you it wasn¡¯t possible, but¡­¡­ Is it alright if I take over guiding you?¡± ©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤ Join our discord to receive the latest updates as soon as possible! Chapter 14 Translator and Editor: Effe and Nabi ©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤ Chapter 14 ¡°Yes, yes!¡± Celine replied in a hurry, as though she was drowning and had found a lifeboat. A look of relief appeared on Karl¡¯s face. ¡°Then, I will have to tell the Grand Duke. If I adjust the task, I will have time to teach you.¡± She didn¡¯t know what he had been reporting to the Grand Duke on the way, although within a day anger resonated with the talk about her. ¡°Celine! I heard the old man say he couldn¡¯t handle it¡­!¡± Saying so, Natasha grabbed her hands and turned around. ¡°I wondered why you kept appearing in Leonhard¡¯s dreams, but there must have been a connection between great people. isn¡¯t it?¡± At that, Celine laughed at her daydreaming. ¡°Is it possible? There¡¯s no way I¡¯m the only one with great magical powers.¡± ¡°That¡¯s right. Anyway, congratulations!¡± As Natasha hugged her tightly, the red hair tickled Celine¡¯s whole body and she added her words. ¡°Once you get used to it, you have to show me your magic too, okay? Lute Karl never showed that magic is enough for a mission.¡± ¡°Sure.¡± Natasha¡¯s eyes twinkled with envy and curiosity. ¡°Lady, Lute Karl is calling.¡± ¡°Can I take a look?¡± Celine shook her head. She was afraid that the same thing as last time would happen. ¡°It¡¯s my first class today, so I think it¡¯s going to be a bit risky. When things settle down, I will invite you, so please come.¡± ¡°Okay. Have a safe trip!¡± She then followed El¡¯s lead with an anxious feeling. Contrary to the idea that she would go to the top of the tower again, El led her into the basement. There, Karl with a lamp was waiting for her in the empty basement without a single chair. ¡°Are you feeling well?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± ¡°Tell me if you feel any worse.¡± ¡°Yes.¡± At those words, Celine felt her chest pounding again. The first time she touched the magic stone, the magic was enchanting¡­ However, the second time she felt her magic, it drove her to her death. ¡°You are scared.¡± ¡°¡­Sorry.¡± ¡°You don¡¯t have to be sorry, but fear causes the magic to get out of our control. You know the dangers of unbridled magic.¡± Celine caught her breath. ¡°It is the power of Lute Celine herself anyway. Is there anyone who¡¯s afraid of their own arms or legs? Think the same.¡± ¡°¡­I think I¡¯m fine now.¡± She decided to think that she had suddenly sprouted one more hand to herself. Her hand strangles her own neck if she releases her mind for a bit. ¡°All right. Let¡¯s get started.¡± Finishing his words, Karl immediately turned off the lamp. Darkness swept them down. ¡°Observe your surroundings.¡± ¡°Karl Lute, do I have to close my eyes?¡± Celine asked cautiously. ¡°Forget the human instructions.¡± She followed Karl¡¯s advice. Celine observed the darkness itself, and realized that no matter how her eyes became accustomed to the darkness, she saw nothing but darkness here without fire. No sound was heard¡­ Only darkness. ¡°What did you observe?¡± ¡°It¡¯s really¡­ There¡¯s nothing. I don¡¯t feel anything. Only darkness.¡± The sound of laughter was heard with satisfaction. ¡°Now, try making something in the dark.¡± ¡°What¡­?¡± ¡°Anything is good. But, the most appropriate thing in this situation would be fire.¡± ¡­Fire. Celine¡¯s whole body froze for an instant. Karl spoke in a calm voice, as if he had seen her reaction, ¡°It¡¯s okay. I am here. If something goes wrong, I will fix it right away.¡± Hearing that, her heart began to beat again. ¡°Come on!¡± He urged. And so, Celine slowly tried to feel her magic. She had already been swept by it twice, so it was not difficult to feel the magical energy filling her body. The only thing that came back to Celine¡¯s mind was the fire burning from the blade of Rashir¡¯s sword. In an instant, the entire basement was filled with blue light. Celine glanced around the basement as if possessed. It was lit everywhere, and she couldn¡¯t even tell where the light source was. ¡°Aha¡­¡± There was an exclamation from Karl¡¯s surprise. ¡°Oh, this is what it¡¯s like. I can see why that person pulled out.¡± Meanwhile, Celine asked, grimacing her face in the heat. ¡°Is it okay now? It¡¯s, hot¡­¡± ¡°Lute Celine, as long as you hold on to the reins of this heat, no harm will be done.¡± Then, she nodded her head. ¡°Now, take this away.¡± ¡°Uh, how?¡± ¡°It¡¯s easy. Think of the darkness again. It will be done soon.¡± Karl was right. As soon as she recalled the basement, which had been dark a while ago, the blue light went, and darkness engulfed them. ¡°Now, you just have to repeat this. Until you feel like you can¡¯t do it.¡± A smile appeared on Celine¡¯s face. ¡°It¡¯s simpler than I think.¡± ¡°It will not be easy.¡± Most of his teachings were right, but many of them were wrong. It was easy! *** By the time Celine collapsed on the floor, exhausted, it was already after her 214th rep. ¡°Oh, my gosh¡­¡± Karl, who had been counting until now, seemed exhausted as he uttered, ¡°The amount of magic power you have is much more among the wizards I¡¯ve ever seen.¡± ¡°Really?¡± ¡°It¡¯s hard for me to get over 150, too.¡± ¡°¡­.¡± Hearing that, she blinked her eyes in surprise and realized the root cause of her being here. ¡°Now, what should I do?¡± ¡°Look, ordinary wizards only think about going back to sleep when they¡¯ve done that.¡± ¡°I¡¯ll be fine. Just tell me how to practice on my own.¡± ¡°Repeat. Practice making only a flame about as bright as one lamp. No bigger, no smaller.¡± Celine nodded her head. It seemed like she could do enough. As Karl opened the door to the cellar, El, who was waiting outside the door, grabbed him as he was half-fallen. Karl left the Bernoulli Castle the very next day. Celine practiced in the basement all day. It was not easy for her to make only a spark as bright as a small lantern. No matter how small she tried to make it, she quickly caught fire everywhere. Needless to say, she was glad she now knew how to turn them off. Bang! Bang! Bang! She was startled by the sound of someone knocking on the door loudly, and she ran to the door. It was El who looked through the crack in the open door with a troubled expression on her face. ¡°Sorry to startle you. I knocked a little, and there was no response¡­¡± ¡°No. What¡¯s going on?¡± ¡°I asked for it.¡± Leonhard¡¯s handsome face suddenly appeared. ¡°Leonhard!¡± Celine greeted him warmly. Come to think of it, for the past few days, she has been so engrossed in the magic that she couldn¡¯t even hear his voice. ¡°You look tired.¡± ¡°No.¡± She laughed softly. ¡°It¡¯s something I want to do.¡± ¡°Am I not disturbing you?¡± ¡°I need a break, too.¡± Celine immediately turned off the lights in the basement and came out completely. Leonhard held out a little box to her. Her eyes lit up. Inside the box were colored candies that looked too pretty to eat. ¡°I think you¡¯re going to be drawn to sweets around this time.¡± ¡°Thank you very much!¡± Leonhard looked at Celine, who smiled broadly at him. As she savored the ecstatic sweetness of the candy, she sensed that he still had an unknown worry on his face. ¡°What are you worried about?¡± ¡°¡­Did you become a mind reader instead of a wizard?¡± ¡°Well, it¡¯s all written on your face.¡± Leonhard let out a long sigh. ¡°I¡¯m off to deal with the Warlock. It will take three days. It could take as long as a week.¡± ¡°Ah¡­¡± Hearing that, Celine¡¯s expression instantly darkened. Leonhard said hastily. ¡°Your escort maids will arrive soon, and you¡¯re still doing well without me.¡± He missed a word, but all three, including El, understood what he meant. ¡®She didn¡¯t die.¡¯ Celine nodded her head. ¡°It is. I know. I¡¯ll be careful not to die, so Leonhard should be careful, too.¡± At her words, Leonhard smiled forcefully and uttered a few words that only she could hear. ¡°¡­I am afraid of the night.¡± ¡°Yes¡­?¡± ¡°If I leave, I will not know your well-being. The night will tell the truth¡­¡± After his words, Leonhard was speechless. His stiff eyes trembled. ¡°Then, think about it this way¡­¡± The quiet Celine¡¯s voice echoed through the basement hallway. ¡°Leonhard will sleep well every night. So, it¡¯s just a confirmation at night that I¡¯m doing well.¡± At that, he flapped his lips to say something, but no sound came out before moving instinctively to lock Celine in front of him in his arms. ¡°¡­.!¡± Celine seemed a little startled, though she immediately relaxed her tension and she hugged Leonhard. After a while, he regained his composure and gained the strength to whisper a word in her ear. ¡°Please, be safe.¡± ¡°I promise.¡± Celine murmured in Leonhard¡¯s arms. *** Leonhard rode his horse at full speed. His horse, Black, was a little overwhelmed in the beginning because they had walked with Celine for the past week, but he quickly got used to it. Meanwhile, Leonhard tried to ignore the figure of a slender woman that kept popping up in his mind. ¡®Concentrate, Leonhard.¡¯ If he wanted to return to Bernoulli Castle as soon as possible, he needed to kill the Warlock quickly. After running for a day and a half, Leonhard reached County Orion, which was heavily damaged by the Warlock. ¡°Leonhard!¡± ¡°Uncle.¡± Leonhard bowed his head to the Count of Orion, the younger brother of the Grand Duchess. Count Orion rubbed his hands with an anxious look. ¡°Thank you for coming. How are your parents?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± After a brief greeting, Leonhard went straight to the main topic. ¡°There is no time. My horse is weary, so give me one of the fastest and cleverest horses.¡± Count Orion did not say a single word of concern and immediately called the servant and ordered him a horse. Leonhard jumped on his new horse. ¡°Giddy up!¡± There was no need to ask where to go. The warlock¡¯s unpleasant energy guided him. The monsters were nothing but beasts whose only slaughter and destruction were imprinted in their minds. However, the Warlock¡­ It was a star swallowed up in darkness. That once shone brilliantly. Leonhard remembered the castle of Renoir a few years ago, when he was too late to kill a warlock in a distant place, and the whole place was eroded by the warlock. Those who could not evacuate had lost all their energy and struggled weakly on the floor with only consciousness remaining. Nothing could save them. ¡®Here we are.¡¯ Even though it was broad daylight, the sun clearly shone brightly in the sky, and darkness filled the forest like mist. Leonhard dismounted from his horse, pulled Rashir out and walked into the darkness. ¡´ I was waiting, wolf! ¡µ ©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤ Join our discord to receive the latest updates as soon as possible! Chapter 15 Translator and Editor: Effe and Nabi ©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤ Chapter 15 In an instant, the warlock¡¯s thoughts struck him. Leonhard gritted his teeth and endured. It wasn¡¯t the first warlock to attempt a mental attack on him. However, it wasn¡¯t even to the point of being pitiful. As Blue flames erupted from Rashir and creaked like lightning, he focused his mind on Rashir and drove away his thoughts in order to help him get centered. Eventually, he found the warlock. ¡­No, it was more like the warlock had found Leonhard. Dozens of ice spears that would pierce his body if they hit him directly from all sides fell, and lava that aimed at him gushed out from under his feet. Leonhard avoided all these dangers with only one sense. There was no ice, not a single spark from Rashir. ¡®You¡¯re a scoundrel. There¡¯s a reason the erosion hasn¡¯t progressed properly yet.¡¯ The warlock he had seen so far quickly eroded even private houses, turning people into puppets that obeyed his words or their body wriggling on the ground, sucking all their energy. Though he has only managed to make the forest his own. As Leonhard had expected, the warlock¡¯s attacks did not last long. When all the attacks subsided, Leonhard saw the warlock exhaling a gasp. ¡°You¡¯re just so tired. I guess I didn¡¯t even need to come.¡± ¡°¡­Ha! I¡¯m glad you came.¡± The warlock¡¯s voice hummed right in Leonhard¡¯s ear, instead of the warlock¡¯s mouth. Leonhard grabbed Rashir and swung the warlock with a single blow. At that moment, a huge boulder hit his whole body from under his feet and came up. ¡°Huhk¡ª!¡± Leonhard groaned. He didn¡¯t miss Rashir, but the moment he was thrown into the air and thrown to the ground, the impact was considerable. ¡°¡­.!¡± Feeling the unpleasant magic wriggling in all directions, Leonhard swiftly swung Rashir in a circle to break the barrier being created. ¡ªChaeng! At the same time as the barrier was broken, a terrifying spear flew towards him, and he immediately used Rashir to strike the spear. ¡ªChaeng! Leonhard¡¯s brow furrowed. The spear attacked him as if it had life. It was a trick he saw for the first time in several years. ¡®Damn it!¡¯ It seemed that he was in trouble. He had to destroy this spear. But, if he destroyed it¡­ Just as it was in the vicinity of the Imperial Capital, the core of the monster that moves this spear will explode, and hundreds of monsters would cover him. Dealing with them didn¡¯t really matter. ¡®However, in the meantime, he¡¯ll run away¡­¡¯ He must return to Celine as soon as possible. Thinking so, Leonhard clasped his hands together and stared at the concentrating warlock. He had no time to waste anymore, playing hide-and-seek in the warlock¡¯s base. He must end it at the very opportunity the warlock recklessly came to catch him. ¡ªChaeng! Leonhard tried not to inflict a blow that would destroy the spear. The spears sometimes aimed overhead, sometimes flanks, and sometimes in the abdomen, and Leonhard lightly fended off the attacks. Then, he slowly advanced towards the warlock. ¡®¡­Ugh.¡¯ Again, a strong barrier was felt. Leonhard chewed his tongue. This warlock¡¯s pattern was easy to read, yet powerful, and plunged people into an unavoidable trap. ¡°It¡¯s okay, I¡¯ll do it.¡± Leonhard broke the barrier again. ¡ªChaeng! There were two spears. When Leonhard approached the Warlock, ten barriers had been broken, and ten spears had been pushing him from all directions. By now, he could no longer strike down the spears with Rashir. All he could do was concentrate his whole mind on moving his whole body quickly and barely getting out of the spear. He marched towards the Warlock. Leonhard lifted Rashir in a semi-trance state. A few spears hit Rashir and bounced off. The warlock¡¯s eyes lit up. The moment their eyes met, he thrust Rashir into the heart of the warlock, and the warlock grabbed Leonhard¡¯s chest. ¡°Ha, ha, ha, ha¡­¡± The warlock burst into laughter, pierced by Rashir. Leonhard was not surprised. The warlock was closer to a desire than a human being. They were able to retain their reason for a while, even after the heart had been destroyed, to cast a curse. ¡°You are weak, wolf.¡± He pushed Rashir in further. No matter what they said, he watched their disappearance with a blank expression. ¡°Hoo, you look like you don¡¯t understand.¡± ¡°¡­.¡± The warlock spit out black blood and chuckled. ¡°I disappear because I am weak, but my people are different¡­ Your destruction is not far off!¡± With his last breath, the warlock¡¯s whole body began to melt in an instant. The sight of the hair falling out of clumps and his flesh melting away was terrifying, but to Leonhard, it was only a natural result he had seen since fifteen. He collected the remaining bones on the floor. Judging from the fact that he still had a human skeleton, he looked like a beginner who had been a warlock for less than ten years. He put the skeleton in an iron box and walked out of the forest where his horse was waiting. ¡°¡­This is silly.¡± Unlike Leonhard¡¯s favorite horse, Black, who was accustomed to the evil spirits of demons and warlocks, the Count¡¯s ordinary horse was startled and ran away. Because of that, Leonhard was able to reach the castle of Count Orion only after walking for four hours. His whole body was throbbing, but he wanted to return to Bernoulli¡¯s castle as soon as possible, so he moved swiftly. By the time Count Orion, who had a bewildered expression on his face after receiving the butler¡¯s report, ran out, it was already sunset and the sky was covered with indigo light. ¡°Leonhard, why are you so late¡­ Leonhard¡ª!¡± ¡°Heok, give me my horse.¡± Leonhard took a deep breath and asked for his horse. Nevertheless, Count Orion shook his head in bewilderment. ¡°Are you saying you want to go back to that state? My God, what will I hear from your mother¡­ Rest in the castle for the night.¡± ¡°It¡¯s not possible.¡± ¡°Why not?¡± Leonhard was speechless. ¡°¡­I have to go back as soon as possible.¡± ¡°Are you so reluctant to stay here?¡± ¡°No. I just have a reason to go back.¡± Count Orion sighed. ¡°I get it. Though your poor horse needs a little more rest. I¡¯ll give you another horse, so you can ride it back.¡± ¡°¡­.¡± Leonhard knew he had lost. There was no other horse that could take the place of his favorite horse, Black. ¡°All right. Instead, I will leave as soon as dawn.¡± ¡°Yes, you should.¡± Eventually, Count Orion sighed in relief. Since his sister was quite frightening, so if he had mistreated her son, the Count would come under pressure. ¡°The Prince is staying tonight!¡± Moments later, Leonhard was ushered into the Castle¡¯s most luxurious bedroom. He ate his meal with a force to swallow the tray, and then lay tiredly on the bed. The needlessly ornate murals on the ceiling caught his eye. The mural painting of a Goddess of beauty with her blonde hair and blue-grey eyes stroking her child¡­ In an instant, the image of a woman resembling the mural smiling brightly came to his mind. Leonhard closed his eyes and opened them. ¡®¡­Damn it.¡¯ It had only been two days since he left the castle. Meanwhile, the thought of Celine never left his mind. ¡°Today, you wouldn¡¯t have died¡­¡± Leonhard gazed intently at the mural and said in a loud voice, though His heart raced at the thought of him being wrong. The fact that the time to check that possibility approached moment by moment also made him nervous. Leonhard let out a soft moan. He wanted to confirm Celine¡¯s well-being right now, and to realize that she was alive by checking her heart and her warm body temperature as he hugged her. ¡®It¡¯s true that I¡¯m weakened in this respect.¡¯ He let out a bitter laugh. No matter what the warlock found in him, he was no longer the sharpened sword he once was. It had only been a little over a week since he met Celine Hunt! Although for some reason, even his sober reason did not say that he should cut Celine Hunt. As he remembered her words before he left, Leonhard shut his eyes slowly. [ ¡°Leonhard will sleep well every night. Then you can check at night that I am doing well.¡± ] However, he could not obey Celine. Closing his eyes was unsettling as the forcible sleeplessness attacking him meant her death. Leonhard looked at the murals on the ceiling all night, forcing the sleep away. In fact, he couldn¡¯t sleep properly because of his heart pounding with tension. At last, the sun rose, coloring the sky in a rosy color, and Leonhard¡¯s heart was filled with joy. Celine was safe! *** Celine was the first to discover Leonhard returning to Bernoulli Castle. She was training from the top of the castle tower, staring at the castle gate, and from the top floor, she immediately recognized a weary horse and the majestic rider the size of a chestnut. ¡°Leonhard!¡± Leonhard immediately recognized the image of her running towards him. His eyes twinkled, his ears opened to hear what Celine was saying to him, and his arms stretched out to catch Celine. ¡°Leonhard¡­¡± Celine couldn¡¯t hide her surprise. She was sure she drank even the water carefully in the meantime because she wanted to avoid harming Leonhard himself. For some reason, she never suffered a single wound, let alone her death. However, Leonhard¡¯s bloody eyes, thick dark circles, and rough skin made it clear that he hadn¡¯t slept well in the past few days. ¡°What happened? Maybe you had a nightmare? Did I die? I was fine. I¡¯m not dead¡­ If you¡¯ve seen me die, it¡¯s a warlock trick!¡± He embraced Celine softly as she poured out her words in surprise. At that moment, Leonhard felt the warmth that he had missed so much over the past few days. ¡°I was so worried, I couldn¡¯t sleep.¡± ¡°¡­What did you say?¡± Leonhard didn¡¯t answer right away. He caressed her back as if trying to make sure Celine was completely in front of him. An incomprehensible gibberish came out of his mouth. ¡°You¡ªIf you¡¯re not safe, I¡¯ll be forced to fall asleep. Just to make sure you¡¯re safe¡­ I couldn¡¯t even sleep.¡± In an instant, indescribable emotions mixed with each other in her heart. Anger, embarrassment, sadness, compassion, and¡­ Celine¡¯s eyes reddened with all those emotions. Seeing that, Leonhard¡¯s bewildered voice was heard. ¡°¡­Are you crying?¡± ¡°Yes¡­?¡± It was because she did not realize that her eyes were wet until she put her hand around her eye. ¡°Oh, nothing¡­ Just¡­¡± ¡°No need to cry for me. I¡¯m fine.¡± As Leonhard replied calmly, Celine couldn¡¯t stand it anymore, and she let out a single word of resentment towards him. ¡°I told you to check it with a good night¡¯s sleep! You don¡¯t know if I¡¯m safe or not!¡± ¡°¡­Because I can¡¯t check it until I wake up. I couldn¡¯t stand it.¡± ©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤ Join our discord to receive the latest updates as soon as possible! Chapter 16 Translator and Editor: Effe and Nabi ©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤ Chapter 16 Celine couldn¡¯t say anything. Even though she had no reason not to speak, it must be because of her heart beating as if it wasn¡¯t hers. Leonhard could no longer speak. They just stood there, feeling each other¡¯s presence. ¡°Lord, are you okay?¡± ¡­Until Karl popped up. At that moment, Leonhard hastily removed himself from Celine. ¡°I didn¡¯t want to disturb the two of you, though your complexion looked so bad¡­¡± Hearing his words, she frowned as she glanced at Leonhard and agreed with Karl. ¡°Yes? You¡¯ve been up all night. Shouldn¡¯t we call a doctor?¡± Leonhard frowned. ¡°What can the doctor do for me? They¡¯ll tell me to go to sleep or get a good night¡¯s sleep.¡± ¡°I see.¡± Celine let out a sigh. In fact, he didn¡¯t really trust the doctors here. Nevertheless, it was better than no treatment at all although Leonhard hated the doctors strangely. Karl handed him a small pouch. ¡°What is this?¡± ¡°It is a scented candle that helps you sleep. It¡¯s not about magic, it¡¯s the method my mother used often.¡± ¡°Thank you.¡± He took the candle bag from Karl with an expressionless face. And so, the three naturally entered the central tower together. Leonhard did not let Celine fall from his side, and Karl followed them along. ¡°Lute Celine, the next training will only be possible next week. When will you be okay?¡± ¡°I¡¯ll be on time for Lute Karl because I¡¯m free.¡± She smiled at him as if she had just remembered it. ¡°I have improved a lot. You will be amazed.¡± ¡°I never expected Lute Celine to grow so much in such a short period of time.¡± ¡°Is it?¡± Karl was poised to report in an instant at the question of the Grand Duke¡¯s successor. ¡°Lute Celine can now handle fire, water, wind and light. Even at this level, wherever she goes, she will be treated like a wizard.¡± ¡°I can only use all of them at a low-level magic. Besides, it is very difficult to control the magic power. I put all my energy into nothing.¡± Celine babbled, showing her excitement. ¡°I¡¯m happy, though. I was worried about what would happen if I only had some magical power.¡± Eventually, the three arrived at the door of the Grand Duke¡¯s office, and Leonhard entered, leaving them behind. The Grand Duke was not surprised to see his haggard son. ¡®The informants must have already informed him.¡¯ Leonhard lowered his head lightly. ¡°Uncle¡¯s estate is now safe. It was a small fry. I brought the remnants here.¡± He handed the chest of the warlock¡¯s bones to the Grand Duke. ¡°Good work.¡± The Grand Duke smiled kindly and pointed to the armchair in front of his desk. They talked for a while about the condition of the estate. ¡°Three new groups of monsters have been discovered. Fortunately, there is still a lot of time left for the boss to transform.¡± ¡°Are you sure it wouldn¡¯t go out hunting?¡± ¡°No.¡± The Grand Duke shook his head. ¡°It is underdeveloped, but the scale is huge. It wasn¡¯t something it could do. Sometimes it takes half a day to get there.¡± ¡°Good job.¡± Leonhard sighed in relief. The Grand Duke was reckless, and Leonhard feared that one day it would lead to an irreversible catastrophe. ¡°All right.¡± Leonhard¡¯s answer implied that he would, of course, solve it on his own. The northern part was different from the Capital. The existence of a genius named Leonhard made the monster knights that were essential in other territories not even exist in the north. ¡°¡­Until tomorrow, rest.¡± At that, he nodded his head. Leonhard wasn¡¯t stupid, and he knew that his stamina was at its limit. ¡°Still, I have to leave early in the morning the next day.¡± The Grand Duke gazed at his successor, rubbing his eyes with a tired look. He had just returned from slaying a warlock and had not slept for days. However, if the timing was missed and the boss transformed, then Leonhard would have a hard time. Besides, how many times has Leonhard gone directly to another mission without a moment to catch his breath? He might be lucky to be able to rest for just one day tomorrow. ¡°I got it. I¡¯ll trust your judgment.¡± ¡°Thank you.¡± When Leonhard came out, Celine and Karl were having a heated conversation about magic. Anxiety for an unknown reason rose deep in Leonhard¡¯s chest. He frowned. No matter how much he hadn¡¯t slept for three days, the sudden surge of unexplained emotions would mean that his mental power was weak. Celine glanced up at him worriedly. ¡°Leonhard, when the report is over, wouldn¡¯t it be better for you to go and sleep right away? See, I¡¯m fine. Rest assured.¡± She waited for Leonhard¡¯s answer to say yes, but he only flapped his lips and didn¡¯t say anything. ¡°¡­Leonhard?¡± When Celine asked the question again, he swallowed a gulp and opened his mouth with a determined expression on his face. ¡°Can I ask you a favor?¡± ¡°Yes? I¡¯ll listen to anything unless it¡¯s impossible. There are only a few things I can do, anyway.¡± Celine replied jokingly, but she meant it. There were really few things she could do for Leonhard, none of which was difficult. ¡°Sorry but¡­¡± She gently placed her hand on Leonhard¡¯s shoulder to reassure him. She could do whatever he asked for. Besides, isn¡¯t he the person who would ask Celine to not harm herself? Leonhard flinched momentarily, then asked in a low voice. ¡°I¡¯m sorry, but can you stay by my side until I sleep? Leave me as soon as I fall asleep. Just, until I sleep¡­¡± For a moment, Karl gasped and took a breath. Leonhard and Celine did not care about his reaction for different reasons. One side of her chest tingled. Perhaps, it was because he had returned from fighting the warlock alone, and Leonhard seemed to have reached his mental limit. He refused Celine¡¯s help on a night when he had to endure the pain of her body shattering, although now, he turned to her for help. She was very sorry about that, too. Celine gazed up at Leonhard and smiled slightly. ¡°When I saw you thought about it a lot, it turns out it was just that? All right.¡± ¡°¡­Thank you.¡± ¡°After all, we slept together before arriving here. It¡¯s not even new.¡± Finally, the two left Lute Karl, who had a puzzled expression, and left the central tower at a quick pace. Suddenly, Celine furrowed her face with a sullen expression on her face. ¡°Ah, Lute Carl!¡± ¡°Why does that name appear?¡± ¡°I couldn¡¯t even say goodbye properly to him before¡­ Oh my, I keep being disrespectful to my Master.¡± ¡°If he¡¯s offended by that much, you can say that Lute Karl is a narrow-minded person.¡± Leonhard replied bitterly. He did not like the name Master at all. In addition, how long have they known each other already? ¡°It could be, well.¡± Celine uttered in a slightly excited voice. ¡°Anyway, I am very grateful to Lute Karl. Oh, you know? Leonhard should also thank Lute Karl.¡± ¡°What?¡± ¡°Didn¡¯t you know?¡± Celine recounted her first lessons with Lute Emile. ¡°I¡¯m really glad that Leonhard didn¡¯t have to go through that.¡± At that, his face hardened. Celine¡¯s magic raged out, and she was told that Lute Karl had solved it, yet she didn¡¯t know that she was about to die. ¡°¡­You should have shredded that idiot with Rashir.¡± She was dumbfounded, and she laughed. Meanwhile, Leonhard was more aggressive than usual, as the loss of sleep for a few days was a major blow. ¡°Is there even a need for that? Regardless, he lost a good job as my teacher.¡± ¡°Don¡¯t you resent the coward who nearly killed you?¡± ¡°Why should I complain?¡± Celine rolled her eyes and answered. ¡°I didn¡¯t die, anyway. Even if I died, I would still be alive. Just like when Leonhard came after me.¡± ¡°¡­.¡± Immediately, Leonhard lost his words and bit his mouth. He had completely forgotten about that time. Remembering that, his face heated up. With what kind of look did he ask if she didn¡¯t resent Lute Emile¡­? He was no different¡­ No, he was much worse than that. ¡°¡­I am so sorry.¡± ¡°Well, it was all a misunderstanding.¡± Celine shrugged her shoulders. ¡°It is also thanks to Leonhard that I am not dying these days. Don¡¯t worry about it.¡± In the end, the two arrived at Leonhard¡¯s bedroom. Celine glanced around the room with curious eyes. One word that came to her mind was ¡®desolate.¡¯ There were only a few huge, old-fashioned pieces of furniture, and a bedroom the size of an average apartment had no ornaments and no carpeting. ¡°Isn¡¯t it cold here?¡± Leonhard made a face as if biting his tongue. ¡°Oh, do you think it¡¯s cold? I didn¡¯t think of that. I should have told them to get ready for you to be here.¡± ¡°No, it doesn¡¯t matter that I don¡¯t sleep here every day. I¡¯m asking if Leonhard is cold.¡± He seemed to understand what Celine was saying. ¡°It¡¯s hard to get out of bed when it¡¯s warm. You have to be ready to run at any time.¡± ¡°¡­Have you ever slept properly? Even before the nightmare?¡± ¡°I¡¯ve always slept.¡± Leonhard replied as if he was saying something absurd, so Celine couldn¡¯t ask anymore. Then, he rang the bell and called the attendant. The attendant looked at them with wide-eyed eyes. ¡°Lute Celine will be staying here for a while. Bring her a brazier, a blanket, and lap coverings.¡± While the attendant went to get things, Leonhard disappeared into the dressing room for a while, changed into pajamas, and lay on the bed. The tension that had been dominating his body all along disappeared in an instant. Celine felt a little strange. All the nights she spent with Leonhard were always with him on alert. It was the first time she had seen him lying in bed like this defenselessly. With that thought, she dragged an armchair next to the bed. ¡°Good night.¡± ¡°¡­I¡¯m sorry.¡± Leonhard muttered a single word that sounded like sleep talk before immediately losing consciousness. His pale, tired face and thick dark circles let Celine know that his condition was not normal. She looked down at Leonhard with sad eyes. ¡®I wish he could sleep comfortably¡­¡¯ She simply thought that if she didn¡¯t die, he would be able to sleep comfortably. However, the reality was just the opposite. ¡®What if¡­¡¯ Celine bit her lip, thinking that her very existence was making Leonhard uneasy. At that moment, he moaned softly. ¡°Celine¡­¡± ©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤ Join our discord to receive the latest updates as soon as possible! Chapter 17 Translator and Editor: Effe and Nabi ©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤ Chapter 17 Celine¡¯s whole body stiffened with tension. ¡®Is it a nightmare¡­?¡¯ Perhaps, Leonhard¡¯s statement that he couldn¡¯t sleep because he was worried about her was a lie. She paused as she placed her hand on his body to shake Leonhard to wake him up. He did not struggle nor let out a moan of pain, like the nightmare she had seen. On the contrary, the corners of his lips were slightly raised, making him look very peaceful. ¡°¡ªline.¡± This time it was clearly a peaceful call. Her ears turned red. She seemed to know how much Leonhard cared for him. ¡®Even in his normal dream, he is dreaming of me¡­¡¯ Celine rested her relaxed body on the armchair. Even though it wasn¡¯t as much as Leonhard, she was also busy with her training and was overusing her body. Eventually, her overloaded body melted in the warmth of the brazier and blanket, and she fell into a sweet sleep. Early morning the next day. Leonhard opened his eyes slowly. It was a sweet sleep that was not disturbed by anything. ¡°¡­.!¡± Next to him, Celine was deep asleep in the armchair beside the bed. ¡®I told you to go back as soon as I fall asleep¡­¡¯ Leonhard gazed at her as if possessed. The shiny blonde hair poured over her torso. As he neatly moved Celine¡¯s hair. The soft golden hair shone in the sunlight in his hands. ¡®It must be uncomfortable.¡¯ He was grateful and absurd at the same time to Celine, who did not go back. She slept in an armchair all night, and it wasn¡¯t strange that her neck or back would get strained. Leonhard got out of bed slowly. What had to be done was clear. With that thought, he carefully lifted her and laid her on his bed. ¡°¡­Mmm.¡± Meanwhile, Celine mumbled something in her sleep, which was unknown. She looked so peaceful that Leonhard looked at her face for a while. ¡®I have to rest today, anyway.¡¯ Leonhard looked at Celine¡¯s face in her sleep, not knowing that time had passed. ¡ª Knock, knock. Every nine in the morning, the servant who brings breakfast knocks on the door. As Leonhard was about to tell the attendant not to disturb, but before that Celine woke up. ¡°Gasp¡­!¡± When she realized she was on Leonhard¡¯s bed, Celine gasped in surprise. ¡°I told you to go back.¡± Leonhard¡¯s playful voice was heard. ¡°I am so tired. But, why is the bed¡­ I¡¯m wearing shoes, too!¡± Hearing her words, he frowned. ¡°How am I going to take off a woman¡¯s shoes?¡± ¡°¡­.¡± Celine was going to say it wasn¡¯t her clothes and he could take off her shoes, but closed her mouth. It was because the delicious smell emanating from the servant¡¯s silver tray stimulated her salivary glands, and her stomach squirmed with hunger. Leonhard did not miss Celine¡¯s reaction. ¡°Go on.¡± ¡°Great.¡± With his permission, she swiftly walked over to the old-fashioned table next to the window, feeling strange to get out of bed with shoes on felt weird. All food and tableware were prepared for two people on a silver tray. Leonhard started eating the sausages, and she took a soft bread and spread it with sweet and sour jam. They emptied the silver tray in an instant. Celine then drank the jug of fresh milk that he had not touched. ¡°Would you like some more?¡± ¡°No. This is enough.¡± Celine sipped a strong-scented tea to cleanse her mouth. Seeing so, Leonhard smiled and opened his mouth again. ¡°Now that I see you eating well, I feel reassured.¡± The sunlight pouring in through the window was warm, and the desolate room shimmered thanks to Celine¡¯s presence. Leonhard was at peace for a moment. ¡°¡­Leonhard.¡± Celine called to him in an earnest voice. At that moment, blue-grey eyes and dark blue eyes intertwined with each other. ¡°Why are you doing the mission alone?¡± Leonhard¡¯s face was frozen for a moment. ¡°Are you curious about that?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± Celine nodded her head. ¡°Because a wizard can fight a monster or a warlock together with Leonhard.¡± ¡°¡­.¡± His face immediately darkened. Leonhard paused for a moment. ¡°¡­I don¡¯t like working with wizards.¡± ¡°Is it possible for a wizard to become corrupted by the magic of a warlock or a monster?¡± Celine spoke of the speculation she had been thinking about for so long. Karl was a really powerful wizard, and even her, who couldn¡¯t even keep up with him, was able to use one or two magic that seemed to be effective against monsters. Leonhard shook his head. ¡°It¡¯s not like that. Even Lute Karl alone has defeated a monster.¡± ¡°Then, why¡­¡± Gazing into the blue-gray eyes that always brought him stability and anxiety at the same time, he couldn¡¯t quite decide if he should confide in her about the ghost that had haunted him for so long. ¡®Not yet, this is too early¡­¡¯ Leonhard let out her small sigh and gave a white lie to Celine. ¡°It was difficult for us to carry out the mission together because it was uncomfortable for some reason. That¡¯s all.¡± In the next moment, her eyes twinkled and her mouth opened. At that moment, he realized his own mistake before she even began to speak, although it was too late. ¡°How about me?¡± ¡°No!¡± Leonhard shouted, but Celine didn¡¯t get intimidated, and she stared at him proudly. ¡°Why not? I¡¯m sure I¡¯m not bothering you.¡± ¡°It is, however¡ª¡± ¡°Well, I¡¯m more useful than you thought. If the monster attacks, I will burn it. If you don¡¯t believe me, I can show you now.¡± ¡°It¡¯s not like that¡­¡± A small smile appeared on Celine¡¯s lips. ¡°I know. Are you afraid that I will die?¡± ¡°¡­You know well.¡± Leonhard sighed. He felt a little bit ripped off. ¡°It is a problem that can never be solved. I think you were joking for a second.¡± Celine took a deep breath and exhaled again. It took a little courage and some godsend move to get her will done. ¡°Leonhard, don¡¯t you feel anxious if you can¡¯t see me?¡± ¡°¡­.!¡± At her words, his eyes fluttered suddenly. ¡°Don¡¯t get me wrong. Even though it¡¯s because of the nightmare, Leonhard can¡¯t help it.¡± She continued slowly. ¡°I¡¯ve been thinking about it. If you don¡¯t know my safety, you can¡¯t help but feel anxious. That is, when you are away from the castle for a mission.¡± Leonhard opened his mouth to retort. On the other hand, Celine grinned and waited for his answer, though he had nothing to say and had to shut his mouth again. ¡°So, I want to go with you. For your peace of mind.¡± ¡°¡­Just for that?¡± ¡°What do you mean just for that?¡± Celine tilted her head. ¡°It¡¯s hard enough to handle monsters and warlocks alone. But, do you have to carry on carrying such a burden that you couldn¡¯t sleep for three days?¡± ¡°¡­I don¡¯t care. I will come back here someday.¡± She let out a sigh at his words. ¡°Leonhard, the Empire is wide, and you are the only one who can defeat a warlock. If you leave the castle for a month, will you not sleep for a whole month?¡± Leonhard swallowed a gulp. Just imagining it made his heart flutter. ¡°When you think about it¡­¡± She knew from Leonhard¡¯s shaky words that she had already won. ¡°You will be leaving soon. You haven¡¯t slept for three days, and you only slept for a few hours today. Celine then got up from her seat and added, ¡°Natasha said it. A horde of demons has been found. Are you going alone?¡± ¡°¡­I¡¯ll leave tomorrow. It¡¯s too early for you to follow.¡± ¡°If it¡¯s a warlock, I won¡¯t go either. It¡¯s a monster. You protected me despite all the nightmares.¡± Leonhard didn¡¯t have to remind himself of the demon hordes that he failed to protect her. For it was a painful memory for both him and her. ¡°Wait a minute¡­ Give me time to think.¡± ¡°Okay.¡± Dozens of minutes later. Celine had already emptied the tea from the teapot and cookies for dessert. Meanwhile, Leonhard still frowned, thinking intently. ¡°Do you need more time to think?¡± At her urge, he let out a sigh close to a moan. ¡°¡­I get it. Let¡¯s do what you say.¡± Celine smiled softly. Thankfully, now, he wouldn¡¯t stop himself from sleeping because of her. ¡°However, there is one condition.¡± ¡°What?¡± ¡°That, did you say you would be more useful than I thought? I¡¯ll have to check that out.¡± Celine immediately stood up. ¡°What can I show you? Just talk about the properties. I will show you the greatest magic that I can do.¡± ¡°No.¡± Shaking his head a little, Leonhard got up from his seat and took his steps before picking up Rashir. Seeing his action, her eyes widened. ¡®No way¡­¡¯ Then, from his mouth came the harshest voice Celine had ever heard. ¡°I¡¯m only defending here, so you can attack as much as you like. To the best of your ability. Do your best.¡± Goosebumps ran down her back. ¡°¡­Is it okay? The room would be ruined.¡± ¡°I¡¯ll take care of that.¡± Celine took in her breath. ¡®Leonhard wants to make sure that I really have the strength to not die.¡¯ Thinking so, she shut her eyes for a moment and focused her mind. Soon, the magic power overflowed through her body. ¡°Are you ready?¡± ¡°Who¡¯ll say it?¡± After a few seconds. A servant cleaning the hallway outside the Prince¡¯s bedroom, startled by the sudden heat and roar, spilled the bucket. Celine closed her eyes tightly and opened them. All of the magical power felt throughout her body was drawn. She didn¡¯t even care about the attributes. Light, water, fire, wind¡­ All of this magic was poured on Leonhard as much as she could embody. Since Karl has always trained her to use the minimum amount of magical power, she had never used magic on such a scale until now. Of course, he wouldn¡¯t be hurt by the magic of a young chick wizard like her. Nevertheless, she was still worried. ¡°¡­It would be useful.¡± Celine caught her breath in surprise. Leonhard, as expected, looked nothing different from how he had gotten up from the table before. What surprised Celine was the appearance of the room, which she thought must have been a bit of a mess. However, there was no trace of the magic that she poured. There was only Rashir in Leonhard¡¯s hand, which was exceptionally bright today. At the same time, Leonhard slowly approached her. Celine controlled her pounding heart in surprise. She already knows enough that Leonhard was great. She didn¡¯t need to be overly surprised that he was even more amazing than she expected. ¡°If this is enough, you won¡¯t be torn to death by the monster.¡± Uttering his next words, Leonhard held out his hand towards her. ¡°Then¡­ Shall we go get ready, Lute Celine?¡± ©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤ Join our discord to receive the latest updates as soon as possible! Chapter 18 Translator and Editor: Effe and Nabi ©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤ Chapter 18 In just one day, the weather quickly turned cold. It was a level of cold that Celine had never felt before. So, she gratefully accepted Natasha¡¯s favor of making a fuss and bringing all kinds of furs to her. ¡°How the hell did you break that stubbornness?¡± ¡°It was a little difficult.¡± She laughed softly. Meanwhile, Natasha clasped her right hand tightly with both of her hands and opened her mouth. ¡°You must be safe.¡± ¡°They are ordinary monsters. Even if I go alone, I am confident that I will not die.¡± ¡°Still, if you die, Leon¡­¡± Natasha was startled for a moment and bit her lips. Celine tilted her head. Of course, if she died, Leonhardt would suffer from an inability to sleep. Natasha didn¡¯t have to shut her mouth as though she had said something stupid. ¡°Yes, he won¡¯t be able to sleep. I will make sure that doesn¡¯t happen.¡± As she stared at Celine, she slowly nodded her head. ¡°I can trust you. Come on, take it.¡± Saying so, when Natasha opened her little pocket, a green magic stone glittered in the dark velvet. ¡°It¡¯s okay because I got it before.¡± ¡°It¡¯s a gift, and the Grand Duke is supporting your official mission with Leon, so take it.¡± Celine did not refuse any further and took the pocket. After a while, someone knocked on the door. ¡°Is it El?¡± ¡°It¡¯s me.¡± A heavy bass sound was heard. Natasha frowned. ¡°Come in.¡± There, Leonhard appeared, covered in fur from head to toe as much as Celine. ¡°Why couldn¡¯t you wait a moment?¡± ¡°¡­.¡± Leonhard did not respond to his sister¡¯s teasing, though focused his gaze on the woman in front of him. ¡°Are you ready to leave?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± Celine nodded her head and naturally took Leonhard¡¯s outstretched hand. ¡°Then, I will go.¡± ¡°Be careful.¡± Natasha¡¯s last words were not a greeting or encouragement to cheer up, but a warning. Eventually, the two immediately went down the castle tower and set off. Naturally, Celine did not have time to learn to ride a horse, so she and Leonhardt had to ride one horse together again. Celine said, standing upright, her body shaking as the horse moved. ¡°I need to learn horse riding.¡± Hearing her words, his disapproving voice was heard. ¡°Aren¡¯t horses a living creature that doesn¡¯t know when they¡¯ll jump? I think it¡¯s too dangerous.¡± She shook her head slightly. In the game, the main character was able to properly control the horse, and as long as she didn¡¯t run too fast, she wouldn¡¯t die. However, she couldn¡¯t tell Leonhardt the truth about it, so she said in a bright voice. ¡°There will be a riding teacher, and the escort maids will protect me, so what are you worried about? I¡¯ll make sure it doesn¡¯t bother you.¡± Leonhard sighed. ¡°¡­Okay. But, when you learn, call me.¡± ¡°You¡¯re busy?¡± ¡°I¡¯m not busy enough to not have time to protect you.¡± Celine tried to say that Leonhard was too worried, but she shut her mouth as she recalled her own outrageous deaths he had witnessed. He followed her answer. ¡°Do you understand?¡± ¡°Yes, I will definitely call you, so don¡¯t worry.¡± Leonhard seemed relieved at that moment, and his body relaxed. And so, they rode for a little over half a day and arrived in a wasteland where there were only thorns. It was laid so softly on the floor that it seemed impossible to get in on a horse. He then stopped his words, jumped down, pulled out Rashir, closed his eyes and focused. At that moment, Rashir¡¯s blade turned black. ¡°It¡¯s nearby.¡± Celine came to her senses and followed Leonhardt. Leonhardt leaned forward on Rashir as if his eyes were on the sword, and but he looked solemn, not ridiculous. ¡°¡­Here.¡± A semi-hoarse voice escaped Leonhard¡¯s mouth. Goosebumps swelled all over Celine¡¯s body. She had already been through it twice, but the unpleasant aura came over her, something she could never get used to. ¡°Are you afraid?¡± In Leonhard¡¯s voice, there was only concern, not reproach. ¡°No.¡± Celine looked straight ahead. ¡°I was just thinking that I should get used to this energy now.¡± ¡°I¡¯m not used to it either.¡± ¡°Yes¡­?¡± At his words, she doubted her own ears for a moment. Isn¡¯t it Leonhardt who has defeated countless monsters in the past? ¡°Once you get used to it, it means you have fallen for the demons.¡± Leonhard answered with a firm face. ¡°So, be careful.¡± ¡°Yes.¡± Celine nodded her head. The fact that she didn¡¯t have to get used to this unpleasant aura rather put her mind at ease. In an instant, the unpleasant aura attacked them intensely. As she immediately summoned her magical powers throughout her body, Leonhard put his hand on her back. ¡°Don¡¯t pour it out in the first place. I¡¯ll give you a signal. When Rashir turns red, then do your best.¡± ¡°All right.¡± They waited for the monsters that approached from moment to moment. After some time. ¡°¡­.!¡± She was so startled that she couldn¡¯t control her trembling legs. Fear and disgust dominated her. The monsters approaching them were not like the flocks of beasts they had seen before. They stepped on each other and moved up to become a single mass the size of a house. Leonhard let out a groan. ¡°I thought it was strange when I heard there were three groups¡­!¡± ¡°What, what is that?¡± ¡°A colony.¡± Rashir burned blue. ¡°When an evolved head beats beat his cubs, that¡¯s the way it is. Last thing I saw¡­ Three years ago.¡± Even though a few questions popped into Celine¡¯s head, but she decided to focus her mind on what she had to do right now¡ªpulling her magic back as much as possible until the signal came. In an instant, Leonhard¡¯s hand was removed from her back. He raised Rashir and leaped into the colony. Her eyes widened. Leonhard moved swiftly and precisely to the extent that Rashir¡¯s trajectory looked like a shining curve and penetrated into the center of the colony. She felt a cold sweat dripping down her spine and continued to follow his movements with her eyes. The time that felt like eons passed, and a red light burst out from the spot that Leonhard had dug. It was the signal she had been waiting for. Celine chose her most destructive attribute. Blue flames rose from the entire colony. A fire so massive that it even erased Leonhard¡¯s appearance. ¡°Gasp, gasp¡­¡± Celine took the last remaining magic stone from her pocket and squeezed it into her hand. This was the first time she used so many magic stones at once. Though she poured out her natural magic and three of the highest grade magic powers, the colony was only halved in size. At first glance, Leonhard was still struggling in the middle. And, the colony was approaching her¡ªeven faster than her pace as she steps behind. When Celine left half of the magic stone left, the colony reached her nose. ¡°Come out, come out¡­!¡± Sweat dripped down Leonhard¡¯s forehead. He frantically slashed and passed over the monsters, but he couldn¡¯t get close to the core where the leader was constantly beating the young. Three years ago, he lay ill for a month after killing the colony. It took him half a year to recover to his original state. ¡®At the time, I knew it was a colony, so I was able to prepare.¡¯ Suddenly, he thought if it wasn¡¯t for Celine, he would have already been crushed by the monsters to the extent that he couldn¡¯t even breathe properly, searching for the core, and a bitter smile crept across his lips. ¡°Ack¡ª!¡± An excruciating pain swept through his body as though struck by lightning. Leonhard was filled with joy. He finally found the core! ¡®Leonhard¡­¡¯ Celine burned the monsters that stretched out to her with her magical powers and gazed at Leonhard with a piercing gaze. Now, she could see his figure fully. He was cutting down the monsters at the same speed he first wielded Rashir. The monster had been screaming a little while ago, though seeing him swinging Rashir without shaking, she could tell that there was no problem. She stockpiled all the magical energy to strike the leader and prayed that Leonhardt would not be hurt in the slightest. Leonhard cut down the monsters that prevented him from accessing the core with a single swing. The end was right in front of him. ¡®Finally¡­!¡¯ Finally, a red, glowing, human-sized egg appeared before his eyes. Leonhard immediately stabbed Rashir into the egg. At that very moment, the monsters that were still clinging to each other and maintaining the mass were scattered. ¡®Now, Celine is safe.¡¯ He thought as he poked Rashir deeper and deeper into the frantically vibrating egg. Now, it was a battle between him and the leader monster. ¡ªCraack! At that moment, the egg was completely cracked. Leonhard¡¯s eyes fluttered. Something that looked like a human was lying among the scattered eggshells. ¡­No, it was a baby. Naturally, he held up Rashir without hesitation. However, his hand movements were a little slower than usual, and he gave the leader monster enough time. The newborn immediately expanded into a hideous maggot with horns growing all over the place and rushed to him. It was a fleeting moment. Leonhard knew he was going to get hurt badly. If he got hurt, who the hell would protect Celine¡­? After a brief moment of the heartbreaking question, a flash of light from Celine engulfed him. At the same time, as a vast flow of magic was felt, Leonhard¡¯s mind went through a brief stop. When he came to his senses, he had already fully inserted Raashir in the center of the leader monster without a single wound. He then immediately turned to Celine as soon as the leader monster started to droop. ¡°Celine¡­!¡± A sound similar to the screams of a beast erupted from his mouth. Five or six broken horns pierced her body. His heart stopped at the realization. That level of magic flow could only be felt right next to the wizard¡­ He knew he was going to get seriously injured, but the reason he didn¡¯t get hurt was because¡­ ¡ªThud! Rashir fell to the ground. Leonhard immediately turned to Celine, who had already collapsed. He pulled the horns out of her body and hugged her. Unfortunately, Celine¡¯s consciousness had not yet left her body. ¡°Why¡­ Why!¡± Celine opened her mouth. Soft whispers reached Leonhardt¡¯s ears. ¡°¡­You¡¯re handsome¡­ It¡¯s a waste of scars¡­¡± The few minutes between her death and her rise to life were the longest waiting in his life. Celine¡¯s blue-gray eyes blinked. ¡°Cel¡­¡± ¡°I¡¯m more useful than you thought, right?¡± ¡°¡­.¡± Leonhard did not answer. Because no words could explain his feelings. *** Celine swung over the horse, wrapped in Leonhard¡¯s cloak. Since the sun had already disappeared over the horizon, as he insisted that they depart after the phantom pain was gone. ¡°¡­Isn¡¯t it cold?¡± Leonhard even took his hat off. She couldn¡¯t see his face because he rode the horse half-hugging her, even though he must be freezing in this cold. ¡°Better than you freezing to death because it¡¯s cold.¡± Leonhard answered bluntly, groaning as a little warmth warmed him up. ¡°What are you so surprised about?¡± Celine laughed a little before opening her mouth. ¡°I am a wizard.¡± ¡°Isn¡¯t it hard? Magic¡­¡± ¡°Ask if it is difficult for you to breathe. That kind of heat consumes very little magic power.¡± ¡°¡­Thank you.¡± ¡°What?¡± Celine shrugged her shoulders and blinked her eyes in surprise at the chill that passed before her. ¡°Leonhard, it¡¯s snowing!¡± Snowflakes slowly fell from the sky. ¡°It¡¯s the first snow.¡± She didn¡¯t care about Leonhard¡¯s muttering about ¡®why now.¡¯ As she died every day alone in the dreadful mansion, Celine thought that she would repeat the painful death countless times at the first snow. However, now, a warm garment wrapped around her, and magic could warm her. Above all¡­ She was no longer alone. ©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤ Join our discord to receive the latest updates as soon as possible! Chapter 19 Translator and Editor: Effe and Nabi ©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤ Chapter 19 The snow started to get harder and harder. Celine used more of her magic to warm herself, Leonhard, and even the horse. Meanwhile, he said nothing. A bigger problem would arise if his horse was tired of the cold and they couldn¡¯t reach the castle before dark. However, the first snow in the north began to pour mercilessly without regard to their situation, and Leonhard had no choice but to change the direction of his horse. ¡°There is a hunter¡¯s hut nearby. It¡¯s a shabby place, but there¡¯s nothing we can do about it.¡± ¡°Good.¡± Celine answered quickly. She was worried about what would happen if he said he would run to the end. Tonight was going to be a tough night. They needed a shelter with a wall to block the snow, not on a horse that was covered with snow falling from the sky. He steered his horse carefully among the snow that was pouring so hard that he couldn¡¯t see forward. ¡°There it is.¡± Through the raindrops, a shape resembling a small log house appeared. ¡°Have you been here?¡± ¡°Long ago.¡± As Leonhard answered briefly and drove his horse to the stable, she pulled the wooden door. Of course, there was no sudden surge of warmth. Celine looked around at the small stove with burnt firewood remaining, weapons lying everywhere, furs being thrown away, worn-out blankets. She gathered the last remnants of her magic and lit a fire in the hearth. It was rather fortunate that there was no need for a big fire as it was a small hut. ¡°Hooo¡­¡± Celine was relieved by the sound of the wood-burning. Eventually, he approached her side. ¡°How about the stables?¡± ¡°A level that can withstand one night.¡± Leonhard spoke sternly. She fully understood his sinking mood. ¡°Cheer up. It¡¯s just one night.¡± ¡°¡­.¡± Instead of answering, he got up from his seat and began to clear the cabin. Leonhard also discouraged Celine from going with him. ¡°They are all dangerous weapons. Don¡¯t touch it and just warm up there.¡± Because of that, she had to follow his words. Her body was tired, perhaps because she had used too much of her magic. It was fatigue she had never felt before. Her eyes suddenly closed. Leonhard gathered all the weapons, then gathered all the fur and laid it on the floor. Finally, when the old blanket was put on top, a plausible bedding was completed. He gently shook Celine as she dozed by the hearth. ¡°¡­Leonhard?¡± ¡°Go to sleep.¡± He then stood up and gently laid Celine on the bed. ¡°¡­How about Leonhard?¡± ¡°I can¡¯t sleep at all.¡± ¡°Still¡­¡± Celine murmured, dissatisfied, but she eventually succumbed to sleepiness. He looked down at her peaceful sleeping face and was relieved. Seeing that she was so tired, he knew that tonight she wouldn¡¯t wake up from any nightmare he had. Leonhard leaned against the door. If his forced sleepiness came over, he wanted to sink into a nightmare as he saw the peaceful Celine until the very end. Only then will he be reminded that it is only a dream. ¡®¡­This is a dream, a dream, a dream.¡¯ Muttering to himself as he appeared, he was holding up Rashir in a wasteland. But, the twisting stomach and the racing heart couldn¡¯t be controlled. Not far from him, Celine, who had grown white, was constantly following his movements with her eyes. Leonhard¡¯s fingernails dug into his palm, clenching his fist. He closed his eyes and wanted to look away from her eyes, though it was impossible for him in the dream. Leonhard continued to blame himself and watched the battle. He should have been faster and stronger. Finally, he was shown himself putting Rashir. His whole body was tense. He fell for the magic of the monster and showed a gap. At that moment, Celine¡¯s feelings poured into him. Leonhard was swallowed by a gigantic mass of fear, worry and passion, that was never his, and he staggered as he watched Celine¡¯s unwavering movements. When Celine threw her body at the boss monster and poured her magic, Leonhard clenched his teeth tightly. Five or six monster horns pierced his body and shook him. Anguish and guilt engulfed him. Not Celine¡¯s, although his feelings. ¡°Leonhard?¡± Celine woke up to the sound of Leonhard¡¯s panting. He was leaning against the door and twisting his body. She glanced at his sweat, and it seemed like he had had a nightmare for quite some time. ¡°Leonhard!¡± Just as iron reacted to a magnet, he reacted immediately to her call. His blue eyes twinkled, and he gazed at Celine in front of him, and he slyly avoided her gaze like a sinner. Fear and guilt. It was the emotion Celine read from Leonhard¡¯s face. ¡°¡­Are you okay?¡± As soon as her words popped out, she regretted it. Of course, Leonhard won¡¯t be fine. He did not answer, and Celine looked at the floor for a moment and raised her head. ¡°¡­I¡¯m fine.¡± His eyes widened at her sudden remark. ¡°It is natural to feel pain because it is painful because I¡¯m a person. Nevertheless, I hope you don¡¯t suffer because of me.¡± Celine grabbed his hand, and Leonhard pulled it back slightly, startled. ¡°Can you feel it? A dream is just a dream.¡± Leonhard clenched his teeth. ¡°Still, it actually happened.¡± Saying so, she then squeezed his hand. ¡°But now, I am alive. It¡¯s all in the past.¡± ¡°Just because it¡¯s in the past, doesn¡¯t it mean that the pain you went through was not there?¡± Leonhard gazed at her as Celine took his hands in both of her hands. She couldn¡¯t say anything. He was right. Every death she suffered was remembered by the pain she could never forget. Silence passed. During this time, neither of them avoided their gaze. Celine was the first to break the silence. She scooped out the truth from the depths of her heart. ¡°¡­I just wish Leonhard suffered less. Whether my pain is past or present, there is no need for Leonhard to suffer.¡± As he opened his mouth to rebut, she didn¡¯t give him a break and continued. ¡°So, tonight, I¡¯ll hold your hand. So that you can feel that I am here while you sleep.¡± Leonhard shook his head. ¡°Then you can¡¯t sleep. Still, if I lay down, I¡¯ll sleep for a while¡­¡° Celine pointed to the blanket. ¡°We can lie down together.¡± ¡°¡­.¡± In an instant, his face flushed red with embarrassment, and Celine realized his own insensitivity. Whether she was inside the game or outside the game, everyone knew what it meant for a man and a woman to sleep on the same bed. ¡°Hold, hold hands and we¡¯ll sleep.¡± ¡°No.¡± Leonhard spoke as he waved his hand. ¡°I don¡¯t know what you are thinking¡­¡± Suddenly, his eyes closed, and his head bowed. Celine immediately shook him. ¡°Leonhard¡­!¡± Leonhard, who opened his eyes, felt no sign of pain at all. He just looked a little bewildered. ¡°You see why it¡¯s better to lie down together, right? Are you going to make me run all the way here?¡± Although he hesitated, he eventually succumbed to Celine¡¯s words. ¡°¡­I will be a nuisance.¡± Celine shrugged his shoulders. ¡°I¡¯ll also sleep more comfortably. In a way.¡± Leonhard couldn¡¯t lie down on the edge of the blanket, so he practically lay down on the cold floor. He immediately reassured her as Celine frowned. ¡°I¡¯ve slept in even worse places.¡± ¡°Me, too.¡± Celine remembered the bed in her death. An old mattress, a blanket with dead bugs on it, a pillow with bloodstains that isn¡¯t hers¡­ There was nothing but the old blanket. Above all, because Leonhard was by her side. Celine quickly fell asleep. The night was long, and she was really tired. That night, Celine never woke up properly from her sleep because Leonhard¡¯s struggle and groan disappeared when she inadvertently gave her hand strength. The next morning. Celine woke her up to the bright sunlight streaming through the curtainless window. Leonhard¡¯s reliable back caught her eye. He was obsessed with something, with his head bowed. ¡°What?¡± ¡°Food.¡± She soon saw the bloodstained and the almost finished meat he held in his hand. She glanced at the leather that had fallen on the floor and looked like a fairly large rabbit. ¡°When did you catch it?¡± ¡°I went out in the morning and saw it.¡± Leonhard put the meat on the rapier. He frowned for a moment, and the rapier began to glow blue and the meat began to cook. ¡°¡­Rashir?¡± ¡°Yes. It is useful in such cases.¡± Abruptly, she had the urge to laugh. Rashir, that cut through monsters and warlocks in an instant, was being used in this way¡­?! The meat was cooked in a few minutes, and Leonhard immediately cut the meat in half and handed it to her. ¡°It may not taste good, but eat it. It takes strength to go through the snow.¡± Celine carefully bit off the well-cooked rabbit meat. ¡°It¡¯s delicious!¡± She ate the meat in an instant. When she suddenly lifted her head, Leonhard was staring at her a little blankly. The meat in her hands had teeth marks here and there like someone who hadn¡¯t eaten, finally eaten. ¡°You must have been very hungry.¡± ¡°That¡¯s right. However, it is also true that it is quite delicious. If it doesn¡¯t taste good, you have a picky taste.¡± Leonhard grinned and pulled a small barrel out of his pocket. Celine¡¯s eyes lit up because she knew what was inside even before he opened the lid. ¡°It will be tastier than the one you ate a while ago.¡± Leonhard¡¯s recommendation was mixed with laughter. Moments later, Celine left the log house, munching two of the candies and Leonhard with one. The world shone white. Sunlight scattering over the silver snow dazzled Celine¡¯s eyes, and wherever she looked, there was only light. Leonhard brought his horse. ¡°I¡¯m sorry, but can you wrap the horse with warmth like yesterday? If we just go, the horse will get frostbite on all four legs.¡± It wasn¡¯t a difficult request. Celine concentrated her mind and gathered her powers. ¡°¡­.?¡± Nothing was felt¡­ Celine gathered her magic in bewilderment, but even a feeble flow did not flow through her body. ¡°What¡¯s wrong?¡± ¡°Oh, the magic¡­¡± ¡°Looks like it¡¯s gone.¡± Leonhard concluded, but when he saw Celine¡¯s bewildered expression, she hurriedly explained it. ¡°It¡¯ll be back in time, don¡¯t worry. But, now¡­¡° Rashir, who had returned to a great sword shape, shone blue. He pointed his sword at his knee-length eyes. In the next moment, the snow melted before Celine¡¯s eyes, creating a path wide enough for three or four people to walk together. ¡°I can¡¯t protect the horse like your magic because my power is only for killing.¡± There was a strange bitterness in Leonhard¡¯s words. Celine took his hand without saying a word. Like last night. ©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤ Join our discord to receive the latest updates as soon as possible! Chapter 20 Translator and Editor: Effe and Nabi ©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤ Chapter 20 They didn¡¯t go fast. It was quite difficult to find a way on the snowy field, and Leonhard could only make a way in a straight line. They even ran into a path they had already passed. The point where the road met was not at the level of melting snow, though the ground was dug deep, so they had to be careful not to hurt the horse. ¡°What is that?¡± When the overlapping point appeared for the third time, Celine pulled her head and asked if she noticed something twinkling on the ground. The round sphere, which looked like a gigantic gemstone, shone dazzlingly even though only a part was exposed. Leonhard stopped immediately. ¡°It¡¯s a magic stone.¡± ¡°Is that¡­?¡± She exclaimed half-shouting in surprise. It was because all of the magic stones she had ever seen were the size of small jewels. Meanwhile, this¡­ It was the size of a human head. ¡°Do you have such a large magic stone?¡± ¡°The magic stones I have seen so far are only small because they are made by refining the horns and teeth of monsters. Many magic stones in their natural state are this large.¡± Saying so, he jumped off his horse and dug a magic stone right away with Rashir before handing it to Celine. The magic stone, which was fully revealed, gleamed in golden light. ¡°Ah¡­¡± Celine let out a soft sigh. As soon as she grasped the magic stone, her exhausted body became warm and her magical power poured into her. ¡°I¡¯m glad it worked. Magic stones in their natural state have a lot of magic power.¡± With those words, Celine gave up hope that she would be able to obtain magical powers to help her. However, it didn¡¯t look like this magic stone had normal magic power. There was no end to it, no matter how much power it contained in its size. ¡°It has a lot of magic¡­¡± ¡°It¡¯s strange. I have never heard of a magic stone in its natural state that contains so much magic.¡± Had it been about an hour? Finally, Celine absorbed all the magic of the magic stone. She used to absorb the magic of the highest grade magic stone in a matter of minutes, so she herself was quite puzzled. ¡°It¡¯s all over.¡± Then, she carefully dropped the magic stone to the ground. Creak! ¡°¡­?¡± It was not the usual sound when the stone fell, but the sound of an egg¡¯s shell breaking. At that moment, the two gazed at the magic stone with tight tension. Leonhard had already raised Rashir. Soon after, the magic stone split in half, and something squirmed in the middle. ¡°Dragon¡­?¡± A word of surprise escaped Celine¡¯s lips. At first glance, the palm-sized animal wriggling among the fragmented magic stones looked like a golden lizard, though its shape was definitely a dragon. Even very familiar to the eye¡­ The dragon in front of her was very similar to one of the items that could be bought by collecting points in the shop of [ Celine¡¯s Nightmare. ] ¡®Come to think of it, the concept was not to buy the dragon itself although to buy the dragon¡¯s eggs and hatch them¡­¡¯ Thinking so, she took a step back. Players called dragons pretty trash. It was pathetic just to have no ability other than to follow the main character. Still, because there was even a dragon-induced dead ending, if the dragon even imprinted on the player as the master for nothing, it became troublesome. Just then, the dragon flew towards Celine. Swish! Immediately Rashir drew a circle towards the dragon. However, the dragon evaded Rashir with a funny gesture and landed in her hand. ¡°¡­No way¡ª¡± A groan came out of nowhere. Could it be that this dragon has already imprinted on her as its master¡­? Celine tried to tear off the dragon with all her might, but the dragon did not budge. Eventually, she raised her head to ask Leonhard for help, but only saw a puzzled face. ¡°This is my first time seeing this. It¡¯s a dragon that clings to people¡­¡± Leonhard looked closer to curiosity than worry. ¡°But, I have never heard of a dragon that harms people. I don¡¯t think you need to worry too much.¡± ¡°What if it keeps sticking around?¡± Muttering so, she trembled as she remembered the player who had died while loving the dragon. ¡°Perhaps, Lute Carl knows the way.¡± Leonhard¡¯s face, as he spoke the name of Carl, looked somewhat displeased. And so, they set off quickly. Now that the horse was filled with magical power, it could run through the snowy fields with warmth around the horse. Celine was eager to get the dragon removed from her body. Nonetheless, the dragon was wrapped around her wrist as if it was a thermal bracelet, giving off a little warmth. ¡°It¡¯s like a gold bracelet.¡± ¡°I wish I could melt it like gold!¡± ¡°Think good. Dragons are worshiped as gods in the South, so if you go, you might be treated like a god.¡± ¡°I have no reason to go to the South.¡± ¡°I can leave on a mission to the South.¡± Leonhard¡¯s voice was slightly disappointed. ¡°Ah¡­!¡± Celine laughed softly. ¡°Yes. Though will he stay with me until then?¡± ¡°I don¡¯t know. It is said that those who wake up from eggs imprint the first person they see as their mother.¡± ¡°Then, it must have been Rashir the first thing it saw¡­!¡± They talked only about dragons until they reached the castle. The dragon moved from her palm to his wrist, and its eyes were closed without moving. As soon as they got off the horse, they went straight to Carl. Leonhard followed her without even reporting first. Carl¡¯s eyes widened as soon as he saw Celine¡¯s wrist. ¡°This¡­ What happened?¡± At that, she briefly described the magic stone she stumbled upon and the dragon that had awakened within it. Carl¡¯s expression turned serious. ¡°It¡¯s absurd.¡± ¡°But, it happened.¡± ¡°I saw it with my own eyes.¡± Leonhard spoke a word from the side. Carl shook his head. ¡°It doesn¡¯t mean that. Do you know how much energy it takes to break a dragon egg?¡± ¡°I wanted to have a little more magical power.¡± ¡°A little?¡± Immediately, Carl¡¯s voice rose. ¡°Lute Celine, I know your magic power. It¡¯s great, however, it was not enough to hatch dragon eggs! Did you hit it with Rashir?¡± ¡°¡­Ah.¡± Carl turned his head toward Leonhard, who looked as if he had realized something. ¡°I melted the snow with Rashir. This is where two lines overlapped.¡± ¡°As expected.¡± Hearing that, Carl¡¯s face was wearing an expression as though he understood. ¡°It was beaten by Rashir twice and was also absorbed by Lute Celine, so it was able to hatch. Congratulations.¡± ¡°Yes? Is this something to celebrate?¡± Celine decided to stay away from Carl as if he was a believer of the Southern God. However, his reply was serious. ¡°Do you know what their food is?¡± ¡°No.¡± ¡°It is magic stones.¡± ¡°¡­.!¡± At his words, her eyes widened. ¡°It can eat endlessly. The highest confirmed record is 201. It couldn¡¯t eat more because there was no more money.¡± ¡°Doesn¡¯t it all disappear when it eat it?¡± ¡°No way.¡± Leonhard explained instead. ¡°It recognized you as the owner. It is a living magic stone that only you can use. If the dragon eats 100 or 200, you are storing that much magical power.¡± ¡°Lord is right.¡± ¡°¡­.¡± Celine lost her words, and she stared at the dragon. She thought it was pretty trash, but in reality, it was such a great item! There would be no more trouble like this morning due to the depletion of magic. ¡®Hey, because I couldn¡¯t use magic in the game.¡¯ No matter how great it was, it was an item that only a wizard could use, so it was only a treasure trove to the ordinary Celine of the game. ¡°Will, will it still be stuck?¡± At the question, Carl hesitated a little before opening his mouth again, ¡°I do not know. I¡¯ve only heard of cases like this¡­ Although as they grow up, you will fall.¡± He held out one of the red magic stones to Celine. ¡°Eat only one per day. There are cases where they gave a young one like this a lot and caused it to die from too much magical power.¡± After that, Leonhard abruptly grabbed Celine¡¯s hand and dragged her as soon as she fed the magic stone to the dragon. ¡°Thank you, Lute Carl. Celine, wouldn¡¯t it be better to go and rest?¡± ¡°I should.¡± Even so, she felt dizzy, perhaps because she had been through so much trouble. Celine entered Natasha¡¯s tower as he led her. The escort maids shook her head as soon as they saw her. ¡°Your complexion is so bad! Oh my gosh, the clothes¡­!¡± She realized that until now, she had worn Leonhard¡¯s cloak all the time and that she had made her own clothes ragged. ¡°You died again¡ª!¡± Miriam looked like she was about to cry, as she looked into her complexion. ¡°It¡¯s okay.¡± As Celine smiled slightly as she felt Miriam¡¯s cool hand touching her own forehead, her expression grew even more serious. ¡°It¡¯s okay? What¡¯s okay, no, do you have a fever?¡± ¡°Really?¡± At Miriam¡¯s words, Leonhard asked with a frightened face. El glanced at him and Celine alternately, and asked, expressionless. ¡°Lord, did you feel any chills?¡± ¡°¡­.? Well, we came through the snow¡­¡± ¡°It seems you are still blunt.¡± It was then that Celine noticed that he was trembling slightly, and that his face was paler than usual. Immediately, she strode towards him. ¡°Excuse me.¡± She took a yellow, dried leaf from her pocket and tapped it to Leonhard¡¯s forehead. The leaves turned red in an instant. ¡°This is too much? I will call Doctor Branche.¡± Replying to her, he suddenly hardened his face. ¡°You don¡¯t have to.¡± ¡°Miriam, bring the Princess.¡± ¡°Yes.¡± As soon as Miriam took a step, he sighed. ¡°All right. I¡¯ll go back to my room for treatment.¡± ¡°Leon! Celine¡­!¡± ¡°Princess!¡± Aria, the only escort maid not present, appeared with Natasha. Natasha ran to them with her arms open. ¡°Oh, why did it take so long? Of course, I wasn¡¯t worried¡­ Still, just in case¡­¡± Natasha stopped suddenly, and she tore off the red leaf that was still attached to Leonhard¡¯s forehead. ¡°¡­I¡¯ll call Doctor Branche.¡± ¡°Don¡¯t do that.¡± He was answering so in a clear warning tone. Seeing his reaction, Celine spoke her words carefully. ¡°If Leonhard is okay, I want to be treated together¡­¡± At her words, his expression, which had been standing tight, softened in an instant. ¡°¡­Do you want me to be with you?¡± Celine nodded her head. ¡°I¡¯m a little scared, too. I don¡¯t like doctors.¡± To be precise, she was afraid of a doctor who would appear in this medieval game. All of a sudden, it was all because of bad blood. So, if they brought a barrel full of leeches that had to suck up to her blood, she was going to borrow Leonhard¡¯s power and run away together. ¡°Okay.¡± Fortunately, Doctor Branche was a very modern doctor, except that he attended Celine¡¯s breathing with a stick instead of a stethoscope. ¡°First of all, I will give you medicine to relieve the fever. Have a good rest today, and see you tomorrow.¡± ¡°Thank you.¡± Meanwhile, Leonhard also received a diagnosis that was nothing special, though he had a very unpleasant expression on his face. Celine soon knew the real reason. Medicines to relieve fever¡­ It was an unidentified liquid with bubbles coming up. ¡°It¡¯s better to stay ill for a few days than to eat this.¡± Even though his murmur could be heard from the side, Celine closed her eyes and drank it all in one shot. ¡°Whoop¡ª!¡± She then wondered if it would taste like this if she mixed wasabi with cider. Nonetheless, whether the effect seemed to be excellent, Celine felt her headache gradually subsiding. ¡°Lord, you must eat.¡± El warned. ¡°I will not eat.¡± Eventually, Celine walked over to Leonhard, placing the cup on her table. ¡°It works well¡­ Can¡¯t you eat it? He says you have a terrible fever, but if you don¡¯t eat, something bad happens¡­¡± ¡°It¡¯s not a big deal, so don¡¯t worry.¡± Her head turned quickly. If the leaf acted as a thermometer earlier, seeing El¡¯s reaction, Leonhard didn¡¯t seem to have a normal high fever. She smiled slightly. ¡°I didn¡¯t know that Leonhard could be afraid of medicine.¡± At that, he stared at her. ¡°Am I afraid of this?¡± ¡°Aren¡¯t you afraid?¡± ¡°¡­.¡± In the next moment, Leonhard poured all the medicine in the cup into his mouth. Despite his handsome face contorted in an instant, the medicine quickly ran down his throat, and Celine sighed in relief. ¡°Okay, is it working?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± She smiled as she gazed at Leonhard, whose complexion had improved. ¡°I¡¯m glad that Leonhard¡¯s body has improved a lot.¡± ©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤ Join our discord to receive the latest updates as soon as possible! Chapter 21 Translator and Editor: Effe and Nabi ©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤ Chapter 21 One day, about a month after Celine discovered Lou. The frozen lake cracked, and columns of water gushed out, and the monsters that were running across the lake immediately fell into the water. Then, she froze the lake. Because monsters couldn¡¯t breathe underwater, by letting it drown a day or so under the water, they could take them out. She stroked the dragon on her wrist, which she named Lou. Without Lou, it would be suicide to use this magic that consumes five magic stones at a time. Leonhard handed her some of the bloody horns. ¡°It¡¯s the head¡¯s horn.¡± Celine carefully wrapped the horns, purifying the magical powers with her magical powers. It didn¡¯t take long before the horns began to crumble little by little, and gem-sized magic stones appeared among the black crumbs. Lou got off her wrist and began to swallow the magic stones one by one. ¡°Hiccup¡ª!¡± Although Lou hiccuped every time it ate the magic stone, it soon rumbled with satisfaction and blew out small sparks. After, they got on Leonhard¡¯s horse and slowly returned to the castle. The castle towers that were now familiar came into view. The two naturally headed for his castle tower. The largest and most cozy room in Leonhard¡¯s castle tower was now filled with all sorts of things for Celine. It had her favorite plush cushions, carpets because the floor was too hard, and snacks that change every day¡­ Celine lay halfway down on her favorite sofa, staring at the ceiling for a brief moment while Leonhard went to change his clothes covered in the monster¡¯s blood. ¡®¡­I have to wait.¡¯ It was still too early. When spring came, and the ice melted, she would be able to ask him a favor that would never be easy. Leonhard¡¯s voice mixed with laughter was heard. ¡°What are you thinking?¡± Raising her head a little, Leonhard, who had changed into comfortable clothes, was holding a small box. ¡°I think the sweets are delicious.¡± ¡°It¡¯s worthwhile to find a chef who is good at making desserts.¡± Leonhard sat down next to her naturally. As Celine made a will o wisp and tickled his nose, Leonhard¡¯s hand slammed it down. However, her reaction was one step ahead. The will o wisp was placed on his shoulder at some point, and she put it on his waist before it suddenly appeared before his eyes again. Nevertheless, he soon succeeded in catching the will o wisp. ¡°You have improved your skills.¡± Celine just smiled without saying a word. When they first played this game, he caught the will o wisp in just three seconds. Seeing that it now takes tens of seconds, she seemed to be training herself. She made the will o wisp again¡ªthis time, near the ceiling. Seeing that, Leonhard raised his eyebrows. ¡°It looks like you want to win.¡± ¡°Of course.¡± In the next moment, he jumped like lightning and grabbed the will o wisp in his hand. ¡°Easier¡­¡± He was speechless. Because Celine herself was lying on the couch, slumped over. Leonhard immediately got his body up with a face that remembered something. The sound of his chest beating to his throat echoed in his ears. After a really long time, there was an awkward silence between the two of them, not knowing what to say. ¡®Well, what should I say¡­¡¯ Nothing came to mind, as if her head was hardened. Celine couldn¡¯t understand why she couldn¡¯t even blink her eyes and say a word to him. All she could do was just gaze at him, hoping that he would break this awkward mood by saying something. Eventually, his lips opened very slowly. ¡°Cel¡­¡± Just then, Leonhard¡¯s attendant knocked on the door and called for him. ¡°Lord, I have something to tell you.¡± ¡°Come, come in.¡± The servant looked at Celine, who was still lying on the sofa, still stiff, and Leonhard, who opened and clenched his fists alternately, though he regarded it as ordinary because it was a common sight. ¡°His Excellency is calling you.¡± ¡°I¡¯ll go now.¡± Leonhard prepared to leave immediately. The attendant¡¯s gaze fell on Celine. ¡°Lute Celine should go, too.¡± ¡°Me¡­?¡± In the end, she followed Leonhard and the attendant with a puzzled expression. Neither of them said anything on the way and were busy trying to calm each other¡¯s flushed faces. The Grand Duke¡¯s office was filled with a chill that day. Instead of a shivering body, Celine wrapped herself and Leonhard¡¯s body with warmth. The moment she saw the Grand Duke, anxiety took over her. He was looking down on the cliff just below the window with his back to them. Leonhard opened his mouth first. ¡°Did you call?¡± The Grand Duke turned slowly towards them. ¡°¡­.!¡± Celine couldn¡¯t hide her surprise. It wasn¡¯t the kind and neat Grand Duke she usually used to see. The Grand Duke¡¯s eyes were wildly bloodshot, and his head was also messy, apparently ungroomed. ¡°Father¡­what happened?¡± ¡°His Majesty¡­¡± The Grand Duke¡¯s voice uttering his words was still. ¡°Is giving you a mission.¡± ¡°His Majesty?¡± Leonhard frowned. In recent years, it was Crown Prince Ricardo who sent him the mission, and it was rare for the Emperor to personally issue a mission. ¡°Yes.¡± Although frowning, he still replied. ¡°¡­Do you think His Highness Ricardo knows?¡± ¡°No, he knows. He was just against it.¡± The Grand Duke¡¯s voice sounded very tired. It seemed that he had been thinking a lot about this issue. ¡°What is that?¡± There was a hint of anxiety in Leonhard¡¯s voice. It was a task that the Emperor approved of, and the prince opposed. So, it would be different from the missions he had ever done so far. The Grand Duke inhaled slowly. ¡°¡­They want you to sneak in.¡± ¡°Where?¡± Leonhard had a bewildered voice. Needless to say, there was no noble who did not know his face. Rather, it would be easier to obtain information by stabbing with Rashir. The Grand Duke let out a single word with a sigh. ¡°His Highness Ricardo¡¯s side.¡± ¡°¡­.!¡± ¡°Several signs of a warlock have been found in the Crown Prince¡¯s Palace.¡± Celine took in a breath. The warlocks she had heard from Leonhard so far are evil beings that made their base a land where no life could live. That such a warlock was found nowhere else, though in the Crown Prince¡¯s Palace¡­! ¡°Does His Highness Ricardo knows?¡± ¡°Of course.¡± The Grand Duke replied impatiently. ¡°His Highness Ricardo is claiming it was an outsider invasion. But, His Majesty¡­¡± ¡°He suspected that it was one of Ricardo¡¯s close associates.¡± ¡°Yes.¡± The Grand Duke let out a sigh before continuing his following words, ¡°He was asking me to stay in the Crown Prince¡¯s Palace and pursue the warlock.¡± ¡°¡­.¡± A heavy silence struck them down. Leonhard put a worrisome question out of his mouth. ¡°Do I have to investigate His Highness Ricardo externally as well?¡± ¡°No way.¡± The Grand Duke waved his hand as if not to worry about it. ¡°It¡¯ll be announced that you will be staying at the Crown Prince¡¯s Palace in favor of the Crown Prince so that you can carry out your duties during the winter.¡± ¡°Your Majesty Ricardo will clench his teeth.¡± Leonhard tried to speak calmly as if telling the truth, but he could not hide his confusion and anxiety. ¡°He wouldn¡¯t be happy, of course.¡± The Grand Duke looked into the eyes of his confused son. ¡°Son, I want to refuse. However, this is an Imperial order. It¡¯s not something I can reject in my own way.¡± It didn¡¯t take long for Leonhard to nod his head. ¡°All right.¡± The way back was also quiet. He struggled to get his words out until he reached his tower. ¡°This, I will go alone.¡± ¡°Leonhard¡­!¡± Even though Celine immediately tried to refute, Leonhard cut her off. ¡°Wait, wait¡­ Listen to me.¡± Leonhard closed his eyes tightly and opened them. ¡°His Highness Ricardo is not a bad person. But¡­ When he gets angry, he becomes an unstoppable man.¡± Leonhard¡¯s hand moved toward Celine¡¯s, then flinched and stopped. ¡°The sparks could be at you.¡± ¡°Then, Leonhard?¡± Leonhard smiled bitterly. ¡°Wouldn¡¯t it be better to cut off his arm if His Highness Ricardo got angry with me?¡± She couldn¡¯t help but agree. Leonhard was currently the only talented person in the Empire. The Crown Prince wouldn¡¯t be able to cast Leonhard under any circumstances. ¡°Sleep¡­¡± ¡°No problem.¡± Leonhard snatched Celine¡¯s words as if he had been waiting. ¡°It has already been a month. Now, I know your skills well. I¡¯m not even worried.¡± ¡°Really¡­?¡± The blue-grey eyes were intertwined with the deep blue eyes, creating a strange tension between them. Celine did not believe what he said. Over the past month, he had hardly left her side. It wasn¡¯t just to fool around. He was there to thoroughly train her. No matter how hard she practiced, he would suggest a higher level, as though that was not enough. Leonhard¡¯s reply came back slowly. ¡°¡­I¡¯ll try.¡± ¡°You, you won¡¯t be able to sleep. You know.¡± ¡°It doesn¡¯t matter.¡± A slightly harsh word came out of Leonhard¡¯s mouth. Celine frowned slightly. ¡°It doesn¡¯t matter, what do you mean? You came to see me because you couldn¡¯t sleep in the first place.¡± HIs shut his mouth as he was about to say something. ¡°Besides, I was thinking of going to the Imperial Capital.¡± ¡°What¡­?¡± Celine swallowed a gulp. The whole time she listened to the Grand Duke, she couldn¡¯t shake the thought in her mind that now was her chance. Last month, she died six times. With monsters twice, once when she slipped in the hallway, twice while learning to ride, once while testing wind magic¡­ She would have been dead more times if it wasn¡¯t for Leonhard and her new escort, Danny. Celine was overly optimistic. She thought that once she learned magic, she would never die once, she died only when she wanted to and that she would have a body that could be revived. The dead-ending was lurking everywhere, and unless she had the wits of a beast level, she had no choice but to face death. She had to get out of this life. In a life where she couldn¡¯t run in the hallway or ride a horse¡­ ¡®I have to go back to that damned mansion.¡¯ From the moment she realized she had entered the game, Celine had thoughts running through her head. ¡­All games end as soon as you see the ending. ¡®If I clear the game, maybe¡­ I can go back.¡¯ In other words, she had to see the ending somehow. Nonetheless, she had not yet cleared the first stage, the Cursed Mansion. After winter, she would ask Leonhard to return to the cursed mansion and clear the first stage. When she was imprisoned there, it was, of course, impossible for her, although now that she could use magic, it should be possible. So, now was a good time since Leonhard was going to leave for the Imperial Capital for his mission. ¡°I have to go back to that house.¡± ¡°¡­What are you thinking?¡± The emotion that appeared on Leonhard¡¯s face was astonishing. Realizing that, Celine picked her words with care. ¡°Since the curse started in that house, I was wondering if there might be a clue to unravel the curse.¡± She couldn¡¯t give a detailed explanation. How can she say that she was not from this world and this was just a game world¡­? ¡°¡­.¡± As he seemed to be seriously thinking, she hastily spoke up. Naturally, Leonhard would worry that she would die as soon as she entered the house. ¡°I know what you are worried about. To be honest, I can¡¯t say I¡¯m not going to die either. But breaking the curse is really important to me.¡± Celine saw Leonhard nod his head very slowly and stopped talking. His eyes fluttered with determination. ¡°I know. I¡¯ll do my best to help, so just say anything.¡± ©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤ Join our discord to receive the latest updates as soon as possible! Chapter 22 Translator and Editor: Effe and Nabi ©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤ Chapter 22 Celine was worried that the new escort maid, Danny, would be reluctant to make a sudden trip, but she was wrong. Danny smiled confidently, carrying a few more daggers in her arms. ¡°What¡¯s with the Imperial Capital, the stage where I can show my skills has gotten bigger.¡± ¡°Danny is very trustworthy.¡± She never forgot the day she first met Danny, a week ago. As soon as she met Celine, she proudly declared, ¡°Lute Celine, I have heard everything. From now on, if Lute Celine dies even once, I will hit myself in the head!¡± Celine, Natasha, and the three escorts were startled and told her condition in more detail, though Danny was impatient, saying, ¡°Don¡¯t worry, now that I am here.¡± And, two days later, she slipped and died while running down the hallway, which had been over-waxed¡­ Danny was really about to put a dagger in her neck. If the Grand Duchess hadn¡¯t declared this with a cold wind blowing briskly. ¡°I¡¯ll not let you die. However, you will be remembered as a sinner who did not obey the orders of the Grand Duchy.¡± Fortunately, she did not commit suicide, and Danny followed Celine more relentlessly, saving her from near-death crisis several times. ¡­At the risk of her own death. Each time, Celine would laugh at her, saying she had no need to do that because she would live again, although Danny said she had nine lives too. ¡°I have nine lives, thanks to the protection of the cat star. I just used one, so now there are still lives left.¡± In the end, she had no choice but to raise both her hands and both feet to avoid putting herself in a dangerous situation so that Danny didn¡¯t do anything reckless. ¡°That¡¯s everything.¡± Danny lifted two large suitcases without calling a servant or maid. Celine¡¯s belongings were few, and she had everything she could afford, so her luggage was simple because she would be in the Imperial Capital. Leonhard was also alone with no attendants. Since he had to leave for the Imperial Capital as quickly as possible, there were only three carriages in total. From the carriage, Celine and Leonhard rode on¡ªto the carriage for the rest of the crew, to the carriage loaded with goods for the Crown Prince. ¡°The situation will be different once you get to the Imperial Capital. I promise.¡± She watched with a little weary eye at the luxuries the servants put into the carriages one by one. ¡°It¡¯s a good enough situation.¡± ¡°Then, that¡¯s a relief.¡± Celine felt a strange feeling at Leonhard¡¯s kind voice, and her body trembled. Leonhard treated herself as usual, though she didn¡¯t know why all of a sudden her heart starts to beat today. Eventually, she concluded that it was because of what she had to do with him tomorrow and got into the carriage. After half a day. The sun hid over the ridge. The carriages all stopped, and all the servants got off the carriages and made a bonfire. Then, it started to snow. Leonhard¡¯s face hardened immediately. He thought that it would not snow because the sky was clear today. It was the weather that made their departure hastily. However, while the three carriages were moving, it was pouring snow. Even if it was all right to camp one night tonight, if the wheels froze the next day¡­ ¡°Everyone, get up. Let¡¯s go right now!¡± ¡°Leonhard?¡± Turning her head, Celine was glancing at him with her puzzled face. ¡°The sun has set, and it even snows. Do you want to keep going?¡± ¡°If we stay here, the wheels will all freeze.¡± He thought Celine would have understood his own words right away, although she grabbed his arm. ¡°Let them rest. The horses and the people.¡± ¡°Celine, this is¡­¡± ¡°I¡¯ll melt it.¡± Celine¡¯s trembling voice was far from certain. Anxiety was even peeking. Leonhard shook his head slowly. ¡°Aren¡¯t you still not good at controlling your power? You can thaw frozen wheels overnight and you can damage the carriage.¡± ¡°I can keep it warm all night long. It won¡¯t freeze in the first place.¡± At her words, he looked down at her with questionable eyes. It was common knowledge that they have to be awake to use magic. Celine knew what Leonhard¡¯s gaze meant as he looked at her own complexion tenaciously. She wet her dry lips with her tongue. Maybe, she was just being stubborn for no reason. Nonetheless, she would ask Leonhard a big favor tomorrow. Before that, she wanted to do something a little bit helpful. Even to relieve her of her own guilt. ¡°I can sleep in the morning. As you know, not getting a good night¡¯s sleep doesn¡¯t mean I will die.¡± Leonhard did not stop her anymore. ¡°Dawn.¡± ¡°Yes?¡± ¡°We leave at dawn. Until then, please.¡± When Celine nodded her head, Leonhard immediately issued the departure order. The servants seemed a little grumpy, but they unpacked their belongings and skillfully started preparing for the camp. Celine closed her eyes and focused her mind. After a while, all the carriages and horses were enveloped in a warm warmth. When she opened her eyes, Danny was standing in front of her. ¡°Lute Celine, have dinner.¡± Dinner was warm potato stew, soft white bread and bacon. Even though it was a rather shabby dinner compared to the food she ate at the castle, she ate the stew with a frenzy and ate slices of bread and bacon. It was not unusual for her to use a significant amount of magic on a one-time basis. Still, maintaining it was quite tiring. ¡°Are you okay?¡± Leonhard asked worriedly. ¡°What?¡± Celine blinked her eyes as if she didn¡¯t understand him, but he knew she was struggling. As soon as she cast a spell on the horses and carriage, she instantly had a cold nose, cold tears, and a body trembling with cold. ¡°You look cold, so go inside the carriage.¡± ¡°It¡¯s okay.¡± ¡°You can also use magic inside.¡± ¡°It¡¯s cramped. I think I might fall asleep. Oh, by all means, if I fall asleep, you have to wake me up!¡± White snowflakes formed on her eyelashes, and she trembled. Leonhard was silent for a moment, and then he spoke as if he had suddenly remembered. ¡°I¡¯ll show you something interesting.¡± ¡°¡­.?¡± He pointed to the comfortable carriage. ¡°Can you enjoy such luxury when you follow a warlock? When we chase a warlock in the snow, we have to build a house.¡± Then, he started walking in stride and she followed him without question. The place where he stopped was a mound covered with snow without a single footstep. The snow that had fallen over the past month seemed to have piled up without melting. Suddenly, he pulled out Rashir of its scabbard. Celine was tense. She didn¡¯t even know there were monsters around here. But, instead of slashing the invisible monster, Rashir cut off the snow. Celine¡¯s eyes widened. Leonhard cut the snow with Rashir and started making bricks. And, the way they are stacked on the ground was like¡­ ¡°¡­Igloo.¡± ¡°What did you say?¡± ¡°It¡¯s nothing.¡± Celine shook her head. Fortunately, he did not notice the reddened eyes and concentrated on his work again. The finished thing, no matter how she looked at it, was a small igloo. Leonhard wiped the sweat from his forehead with a proud expression on his face. ¡°It¡¯s a snow house. I learned it from the people of the Principality of Tamtbo. Until I knew this, I hugged Rashir and just slept in the snow.¡± Although his voice was plain, it wasn¡¯t about bringing back good memories. Celine¡¯s throat choked a little. ¡°That¡¯s a relief.¡± She crawled a little and entered the igloo. Something too warm to be cold yet insufficient for warmth, enveloped her. After a while, Leonhard came in. He frowned as he inadvertently hit his head against the ceiling. ¡°¡­I didn¡¯t think much.¡± She immediately noticed why and grinned. The igloo was big enough for just one person, so it was too narrow for two people. Leonhard carefully sat down next to her, and both of them couldn¡¯t even move. Celine¡¯s face flushed slightly. Leonhard was too close¡­ She thought she had gotten used to his handsome face, though when she glanced right from the side, he was so unrealistically sculpted that her heart seemed to skip a beat. ¡°¡­.¡± Neither of them said a word. No, they couldn¡¯t. Leonhard cursed his stupid judgment for the fifth time. Why the hell did he build a snow house the size of which he could barely sleep on his own? He felt Celine¡¯s face and breath so close! Even more difficult, he did not want to move at all from where he was now. What should he call this if it¡¯s not unscrupulous? Leonhard let out a small sigh. ¡°It¡¯s too small. I¡¯d better go out.¡± ¡°No.¡± ¡°¡­.?¡± Leonhard¡¯s heart began to beat uncontrollably. ¡°Here, it¡¯s nice. It¡¯s amazing to see the roof like this¡­¡± ¡°Isn¡¯t it cramped¡­?¡± ¡°I must have been cramped because I was tired of the carriage. It¡¯s fresh here. This¡­ It¡¯s my first time at a snow house.¡± ¡°Is it?¡± Actually, it was a snow house he made to refresh Celine¡¯s mood. Leonhard stayed still, because if she liked it, he probably liked it, too. Silence fell again. As he was motionless and concentrating on her breathing, he suddenly felt a weight on his shoulder. ¡°¡­Celine?¡± Celine lay, resting her head on him, sleeping. Leonhard was conflicted. ¡®Should I wake her up and make her use magic, or¡­¡¯ Her face was so calm as she was breathing heavily and she fell asleep. To the extent that it felt like a sin to break her state. However, Celine¡¯s words, asking him to wake her up, echoed in his ears. After a conflict that felt long but didn¡¯t really take long, he woke Celine. ¡°Celine!¡± In an instant, the big eyes flashed open. ¡°Gasp¡­!¡± Leonhard¡¯s heart sank down at her eyes, tired yet with shock and worry. ¡°I woke you up as soon as you fell asleep. Don¡¯t worry. It wouldn¡¯t have been frozen yet.¡± ¡°Th, thank you¡­¡± Celine mumbles a muffled thank you and runs out of the snow house. The snow, which she thought had stopped for a while, was falling again. ¡°Haah, haah¡ª¡± Celine¡¯s heart pounded. If everything freezes in the meantime¡­! Unsurprisingly, the horses were weeping and tumbling as their feet were cold. ¡°I¡¯m, I¡¯m sorry.¡± She felt Lou¡¯s wriggling on her wrist. It seemed that her own magical power had already run out. She focused and sucked the magic from Lou. ¡°¡­Phew.¡± The magic power ran through her body. Celine once again covered the horse and carriage with warmth, concentrating her mind. Since they may have already been frozen, she consumed the magical powers as much as possible, creating a warmth that felt like a breeze. ¡°Ack¡­!¡± Suddenly, her head turned and Celine staggered on the spot. ¡®No, no, no.¡¯ It was a symptom that appeared when she used excessive magic. She crouched down on the floor of the snow. The last time she felt these symptoms, she died instantly. No one could help her, as she had no Carl, no Leonhard, and only Danny by her side. ¡®I don¡¯t want to die! Please, please.¡¯ Celine was not supposed to die. When she dies¡­ ¡­Leonhard suffers all night long. With that thought, Celine bit her lips so tightly that they turned white. It was not the first time she had gone through it, so she could stand it. No, she had to endure it. ¡°¡­Celine.¡± She felt the magic of others. Her magical power, which Celine knew all too well, was cold and passionate at the same time. She gently opened her eyes, which she had been unable to open for a while. Her body was lifted over the snow, and her back was half rested on the body of a trustworthy man. The blue flash of Rashir calmed her. ¡°Leonhard.¡± Celine gasped and called the master of the sword. ¡°Leonhard, Leonhard¡­¡± Finally, she got the answer she wanted. ¡°Celine.¡± She wrapped her arms around Leonhard¡¯s neck. ¡°I¡¯m not dead, am I?¡± ¡°Not at all.¡± In the dark darkness, Leonhard made his way through the pouring snow to the carriage waiting for warmth. Standing tall, he was holding Celine. ©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤ Join our discord to receive the latest updates as soon as possible! Chapter 23 You can read the novel online free at novelhall.com or NovelTeam.Net Translator and Editor: Effe and Tea ©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤ Chapter 23 They arrived at the Imperial Capital two days later. ¡°Lord!¡± As before, the fussy hotel manager didn¡¯t recognize Celine, who was dressed from head to toe. ¡°Hey, aren¡¯t you the new Lute of the North? You were so great that the rumors spread all this way.¡± Celine shook hands with the manager and smiled awkwardly, then hurried upstairs. ¡°Did it hurt your feelings?¡± Leonhard asked cautiously. ¡°No?¡± ¡°The manager¡¯s words. If you were hurt in any way¡­¡­.¡± Celine frowned slightly. ¡°Why would I be hurt by that? It¡¯s only natural that he doesn¡¯t recognize me.¡± ¡°¡­¡­.¡± Leonhard still looked a bit uncomfortable, but Celine didn¡¯t care. ¡°Come on, let¡¯s go. I heard you should see the Crown Prince tomorrow afternoon.¡± ¡°I know.¡± They soon arrived at the cursed mansion. The exterior walls covered with ivy and mold were still there, and the barren yard was not much different from when she left. ¡°Whoo¡­¡­.¡± Celine let out a bitter sigh. She really didn¡¯t want to come here. Especially when she thought about what to do here. But, shouldn¡¯t the curse be lifted in order to live like a human being? They entered the entrance into the barren yard. ¡°What?¡± Leonhard let out a questioning grunt. The old-fashioned door of the mansion was bound with nailed planks and chains. He slashed the planks and chains with Rashir before Celine could move and pushed the door. The door opened with a creepy sound. Leonhard looked inside carefully and groaned. ¡°What?¡± ¡°¡­¡­.¡± Leonhard stiffened and said nothing. Celine followed him and stepped into the mansion. ¡°¡­¡­ !¡± Her mouth began to dry out. Not far from the entrance, there were bloodstains on the floor. It was brown and dry but still was clearly a child-shaped bloodstain. Celine¡¯s blood cooled. Since there was no one to kick them out, the children must have decided to test their courage and came here naturally. and¡­¡­ one child died. The villagers who found the body while looking for the child must have blocked the door of the mansion with a plank. Leonhard muttered, but Celine couldn¡¯t move at all from her spot. A child died horribly here. ¡®Who is it?¡¯ She couldn¡¯t remember a single name. Several innocent faces who tried to enter this place remained in her memory, but she didn¡¯t even try to get close to them. Suddenly, a serious voice was heard. ¡°It¡¯s not your fault.¡± ¡°What?¡± Celine groaned. ¡°It¡¯s not your fault.¡± Leonhard continued speaking slowly. ¡°Yes, of course you feel like you had to stay here and chase the kids away. It¡¯s a natural idea for a human being.¡± Celine¡¯s body shook. A tidal wave of guilt continued to rage. ¡°I was the one who urged you to leave immediately. Not even giving you time to think properly.¡± ¡°¡­¡­ It was thoughtless.¡± ¡°Yes, I hadn¡¯t thought of that.¡± Celine thought Leonhard was talking nonsense now. It was she who should have thought of the dangers of the mansion at the time. She should at least have tried to block the entrance with a plank like this to keep the children out. But unaware of Leonhard¡¯s efforts to alleviate her guilt, Celine sighed an answer. ¡®Today, I have to finish my work and shut this place down completely. No one can come in.¡¯ Celine swallowed and looked at Leonhard. Leonhard seemed more relieved that he thought Celine had regained her composure. ¡®I have to tell you.¡¯ A little guilt gripped Celine¡¯s ankles. In the meantime, whenever Leonhard asked Celine what she was doing in the mansion, she deliberately avoided answering. Celine closed her eyes tightly and opened them. ¡°Can you do me a favor?¡± ¡°Anything.¡± Leonhard placed his hand on Celine¡¯s shoulder. His trust seemed to be transmitted along with the heavy weight. ¡°Please chase me like that day.¡± ¡°What¡­¡­ ?¡± Leonhard asked blankly, as if he did not understand what he had just heard. ¡°Just¡­¡­ like when you thought I was a black witch. You don¡¯t have to kill me. Just chase me with all your might. Don¡¯t catch up.¡± ¡°I don¡¯t know what you are thinking.¡± Leonhard¡¯s voice trembled slightly. ¡°Aren¡¯t you here to find a way to break the curse?¡± Celine nodded her head. ¡°I know it sounds weird. I know it¡¯s hard work for Leonhard. But this is the only way to break the curse.¡± ¡°What if I say no?¡± ¡°I have to do it alone. Pretending to be chased. Please don¡¯t laugh at me.¡± Celine tried to laugh lightly, as if it was a joke, but her face hardened. ¡°¡­¡­.¡± Leonhard could neither affirm nor deny. He had no reason to accept Celine¡¯s request, and conversely, he had plenty of reasons to decline. Celine didn¡¯t even give an explanation. However, he couldn¡¯t refuse either. Celine saved Leonhard¡¯s life. She threw her life away. By comparison, what had he done for her? No matter how vain Celine¡¯s words sounded to him, it was a human thing to accept her request. ¡°¡­¡­ I understand.¡± Celine¡¯s eyes widened, and a small smile appeared on her face. ¡°Thank you.¡± Leonhard decided to be satisfied with that smile. After a while. ¡°Let¡¯s start.¡± As soon as he heard Celine, Leonhard¡¯s feet slammed into the ground. ¡°Dangerous!¡± It was when Leonhard had barely walked a few steps. A huge stuffed beast fell towards Celine with its horns down. The body reacted before his head. Rashir shone and was pulled out of his scabbard. Leonhard flew towards the stuffed beast. -Chaeng! Rashir bumped into a huge wall of ice that Celine had built. The ice wall melted in an instant, and the stuffed monster fell on the bare floor with a roaring sound. Leonhard looked at the hideous stuffed beast lying on the floor with a puzzled expression. The withered horns fell from the body and rolled over the floor. When he lifted his head, Celine was already gone. Fortunately, the floor was full of dirt and dust, so it was not difficult to see her footprints. Leonhard followed Celine at a brisk pace. In the empty hallway, only the footsteps of those being chased and pursued resounded. ¡®It¡¯s worth doing more than I thought.¡¯ Celine thought of the fifth trap and raised the wind and skipped it. During the couple of months she spent at Bernoulli Castle, her horrific memories faded, and unexpected traps popped up everywhere. If she had come back here without any help, she would have died over and over again. But now she was a wizard. ¡°Gasp.¡± A huge iron trap popped out from under her feet. Celine pushed an ice block into the trap just before the trap crushed her own leg. -Crunch! The trap clenched the ice in half and closed tight. As she avoided the traps one by one, her hope that the stage might be cleared soared from the depths of her heart. At the same time, fear. She went through every floor of the mansion. All that was left was the roof. As soon as she took a step there, she fell and died, the only space in this place she had never been through. Celine carefully lifted the attic door. The creaking of the hinges and the familiar smell of dust caught her. It had not changed at all from that day. The day she met Leonhard. Celine patted the dust and opened the window. A cold winter wind blew. ¡®It¡¯s okay.¡¯ Celine can now control the wind. When she falls she can make icicles and climb up holding them. Celine slowly placed her feet on the roof. ¡®Celine¡­¡­ !¡¯ Leonhard let out a silent scream to himself. Celine¡¯s back, trembling slightly as she set her foot on the roof, was exactly the same as that day. The day he killed Celine. Leonhard watched Celine¡¯s every move, frozen. The shiny blonde hair fluttered in the wind. The white cape draped over her shoulders and careful steps reminded him of a snow rabbit. He wanted to run and grab her right away. But shouldn¡¯t he believe in Celine? Don¡¯t grab her. A few minutes passed that felt like an eternity to both of them. Celine stood on the edge of the roof and looked down. She could only see the dark ground. She seemed to have nowhere else to go, but she knew all too well what to do after this. The next moment, Celine fell off the roof. ¡°Celine!¡± A scream that sounded like an animal¡¯s roar erupted from Leonhard¡¯s mouth. He stepped right through the narrow width of the roof and, in a few steps, reached where Celine was standing. There was no sound of falling. She may be hanging from the edge of the roof. Leonhard looked down under the roof, prepared for the worst. ¡®¡­¡­ !¡¯ Neither was Celine hanging from the edge of the roof, nor was Celine bleeding on the ground. No, he couldn¡¯t see the scenery around the mansion that he should have seen clearly. Only clouds as black as a stormy sky entered Leonhard¡¯s sight. ¡°Leonhard!¡± Celine¡¯s voice came from below. ¡°Jump!¡± Leonhard jumped without thinking. Darkness enveloped him. Moments later, a hard floor greeted him. Leonhard pulled out Rashir and lit the fire. A long passage opened in front of him. The whole place was covered in moisture. ¡®¡­¡­ Underground?¡¯ Leonhard was not surprised even though he fell from the roof and entered the underground passage. He knew enough that there was a questionable corner in this mansion. Fortunately, the passage only ran in one direction. Leonhard started running. -Chaeng! Rashir cut the iron bars that sprung from the floor. -Chaeng! Suddenly, dozens of fireballs shot from the ceiling toward Leonhard. The fireballs were all extinguished by Rashir¡¯s circular trajectory. -Chaen! The ground cracked open. Leonhard fell into the abyss and climbed up, nailing Rashir to the wall. ¡°Gasp, gasp¡­¡­.¡± Leonhard exhaled heavily. This mansion did not just have questionable corners. ¡®I¡¯ll have to report it when I get back.¡¯ Strangely, he didn¡¯t feel the power of black magic at all, but that remained to be seen. In the distance, shiny blonde hair caught his eye. Leonhard¡¯s steps slowed. ¡®It¡¯s over¡­¡­ !¡¯ Celine let out a silent cheer. She finally reached the end of the first stage. She glanced behind her and saw that it would take some time for Leonhard to catch up with her. At the end of the passage was a small jewelry box. Celine grabbed the jewelry box with her trembling hands. The box vibrated slightly and emitted light. The jewelry box opened with a click. ¡®¡­¡­ !¡¯ Her blue-gray eyes widened. ©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤ Join our discord to receive the latest updates as soon as possible! You can read the novel online free at novelhall.com or NovelTeam.Net Chapter 24 Translator and Editor: Effe and Nabi ©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤ Chapter 24 Leonhard took a breath. A light flashed from the other side of the passage, exactly where Celine was. ¡®¡­What?¡¯ The next moment, nothing was visible. The soft light that she had lit up with magic, the blonde hair that glittered in that light, and the mysterious light that flashed for a while¡­ All gone. A heavy silence weighed on Leonhard. All he could hear was the sound of his own heavy breathing and the sound of his heart beating like crazy. He hurriedly ran to the spot where he had just seen Celine. ¡°Celine¡­!¡± Fortunately, Celine was there. Her body trembled all over as if she had seen something she couldn¡¯t see. *** Inside the jewelry box, there was only one key. Celine stared blankly at the palm-sized key, which flashed dazzlingly in the dark. ¡­It shouldn¡¯t have been like this. The rewards for clearing the first stage were a few potions that restore maximum health and a pendant used to clear the next stage. However, it was a key she did not know where to use it. ¡®What does it want me to open? Is there something in front of this?¡¯ But, this was clearly a closed passageway. ¡ªTuk. The jewelry box fell from her hand, crashed into her floor, and closed. It was because sudden despair overcame Celine. No matter how well she used magic, it would have been difficult for her to clear this stage without knowledge of the game. She wouldn¡¯t have even thought of jumping off the edge of the roof. Of course, she believed that the curse would be lifted if she solved the remaining stages in the same way. Nonetheless, the moment she saw this outrageous stage-clearing reward, all her plans went awry. ¡®How do I clear the next stage without a pendant right now?¡¯ She was no longer sure that this game was the [ Celine¡¯s Nightmare ] she actually played. ¡°¡­Can I come closer?¡± Celine turned instead of answering. Leonhard¡¯s sculptural face, dimly shining in Rashir¡¯s light, caught her eye. She could feel the water around her eyes. ¡®Yes, I have Leonhard.¡¯ The villain of [ Celine¡¯s Nightmare ] As long as he was there, this was the game she knew. ¡°Where are you hurt?¡± As Leonhard asked worriedly, she answered, trying to hide the rising tears. ¡°It¡¯s okay.¡± ¡°What is that light just now?¡± Celine made a small light to illuminate the ground. With her mouth shut, she saw the jewelry box lying on the floor. Click. The box opened again, and the key gave off a brilliant light. Celine picked up the key. Even if it looked like something she did not need right now, it would not be a very meaningless item. ¡ªBang! There was a roar, and the ground vibrated. Immediately, Leonhard wrapped around her body. After a while, they fell to the ground. Celine slowly got her body up. The mansion had not changed at all from before they entered, though she knew instinctively. ¡­Stage clear. Finally, the first stage was over. It left her with a big riddle. A large shadow cast over Celine as she peered into the key, which she clenched so tightly that it left a mark on her palm. It was Leonhard. ¡°This¡­ What?¡± Asking that, Leonhard was handed the key with a puzzled expression on his face and turned it around. ¡°I don¡¯t know.¡± ¡°Isn¡¯t this the purpose of coming here?¡± Leonhard returned the key and looked into Celine¡¯s dark complexion. ¡°In the dream¡­ I saw it in a dream, but it¡¯s different from my dream. It¡¯s not like this, but something else should come out¡­¡± ¡°Pfft.¡± ¡°¡­.?¡± She was startled by his sudden burst of laughter before wiping away the tears that were still in her eyes. Leonhard hardened his face and spoke as if the previous smile had been a mistake. ¡°Didn¡¯t you tell me that day? Prophecies are unreliable.¡± Celine bit her mouth while trying to protest that it was not a prophecy. She couldn¡¯t tell the truth. ¡°Isn¡¯t the reason you panic when it¡¯s different from your dream because you think the dream will come true? Then, it is a prophecy.¡± ¡°¡­.¡± ¡°Do you know why I don¡¯t believe the prophecies?¡± ¡°No¡­?¡± Celine stared blankly at Leonhard. She had no idea what his intentions were. Seeing that, he continued speaking slowly. ¡°When I was born, the prophets of the whole empire came to the north. They said the newborn had to be killed.¡± Celine¡¯s eyes widened in astonishment. ¡°Everyone said that I would destroy my family and bring great woe to the empire.¡± It looked as though he was talking to someone else. ¡°Fortunately, everyone was beaten and kicked out. And look at me. Do you think the prophecy came true?¡± Celine couldn¡¯t say anything, knowing that the prophecy was correct. At the same time, the truth, which she had been trying to avoid, struck her. The truth she couldn¡¯t face because she only thought about escaping from the curse of countless deaths. ..This was definitely [ Celine¡¯s Nightmare ] Leonhard had proven that fact. And, Leonhard¡­ Five years later, he would become a madman trying to kill her. Meanwhile, she simply thought that he and Bernoulli Castle were different from the game. Haa! What a stupid idea. She may have been simply avoiding reality all this time. Five years, perhaps even sooner, the reality that Leonhard becomes a madman and Bernoulli¡¯s castle becomes a ghost castle¡­ Leonhard gently grabbed Celine, who was half-dazed. ¡°Celine, the future always changes. Don¡¯t rely on your foresight.¡± ¡°¡­Leonhard.¡± She stared intently into his blue eyes. He only showed concern for her, and there was no sign of madness. She swallowed a gulp. Leonhard was wrong. His existence only told her that ¡®foresight¡¯ was correct. Rather, to show that ¡®foresight¡¯ was wrong¡­ With that thought, she clutched the key. She could not let Leonhard face his fate. The key, which had brought despair to her just a moment ago, and seemingly meaningless, shone with hope. She would follow the guidance of this key and change the future. Leonhard¡¯s resolute voice was heard. ¡°Let¡¯s go. This is a wicked place.¡± ¡°Wait.¡± He followed her silently as he walked to the front door of the mansion. Celine took a deep breath. The mansion, which had killed her dozens of times and taken a young child¡¯s life forever, still exuded an evil spirit. ¡°Will you be okay? Magic¡­¡± ¡°Because there is Lou.¡± She reached out towards the mansion. A huge ice wall began to grow along the wall of the mansion. If she just wanted to stop people, blocking the entrance would suffice. Nevertheless, carcasses of animals that would have lost their lives by entering through windows or small crevices could be seen everywhere. Celine didn¡¯t want this terrible mansion to consume life anymore. No matter how small and insignificant life is. So, even though it was somewhat too much, she made a huge dome-shaped ice wall to surround the mansion. It was winter, so it would not melt until spring, and in the meantime, she would think about how to completely shut down this mansion. ¡°Sigh¡­¡± Celine took a deep breath. Leonhard approached and wiped her sweaty forehead. ¡°Good job.¡± ¡°It should have been like this earlier.¡± ¡°¡­.¡± Leonhard didn¡¯t answer. *** The next morning. They arrived at Libron castle, where the royal family resided. Libron Castle was splendid and beautiful, unlike Bernoulli Castle, whose first impression was somewhat bizarre. Celine¡¯s eyes moved in all directions without a moment¡¯s rest. A huge marble fountain, numerous statues decorated with gold leaf, and even the colorful mosaics on the floor¡­ ¡°Do you like it?¡± She tried to answer honestly that it was more beautiful than any building she had ever seen before, though when she realized that he was the heir to the Bernoulli Castle, she turned around. ¡°It¡¯s my first time in the imperial palace.¡± ¡°Hmm.¡± Leonhard looked at her as if he knew all about Celine¡¯s heart, and then greeted the official who approached him. The official exchanged brief greetings with him before turning to Celine. ¡°I heard a lot about Lute Celine from His Highness Ricardo. Nice to see you like this.¡± ¡°Nice, nice to meet you¡­¡± Celine answered with a puzzled face. The Crown Prince and her have never even met, let alone been friends. What the hell did the Prince say about her, who had no acquaintance¡­? Celine¡¯s doubts were resolved within minutes of them entering the Crown Prince¡¯s office. Prince Ricardo, who stood up and greeted them, was a middle-aged man in his forties or so, with a smile on his lips, but his eyes cold and sharp as cracked ice. ¡°It is an honor to meet you, Your Highness Ricardo.¡± She meekly recited the greeting Danny told her. Celine frankly told Danny that she had never been taught the etiquette of nobles, and Danny was a good teacher. The Prince¡¯s eyes narrowed. ¡°You are the Lady of the North. Leonhard threatened me and took you on a mission.¡± ¡°Your Highness¡­!¡± Leonhard exclaimed in visibly bewildered embarrassment. ¡°I just made a request.¡± ¡°It¡¯s a joke.¡± Saying so, the Prince let out a smirk, although his eyes still didn¡¯t smile. Celine had a gut feeling that she was the reason the Crown Prince was picking on Leonhard. It was a card that would have agitated Leonhard. Thinking that, she clenched her teeth tightly. Leonhard¡¯s situation would only get worse if she came out here. ¡®I cannot be a weakness.¡¯ The Prince spoke in a hard, stern voice. ¡°Then, let¡¯s get to the point. Many signs of black magic have appeared in my palace, and the Emperor is suspicious of my people. But, I¡­ I am not taking sides, so please listen without prejudice.¡± ¡°Please say it.¡± ¡°The culprit is not my people.¡± The Crown Prince closed his mouth as if he had finished talking and stared at them sternly. Celine got a little nauseous. Of course, he did not want any of his entourage to think he had a warlock. Though if he wanted to make a claim, didn¡¯t he have to come up with a basis? Leonhard opened his mouth with difficulty. ¡°Your Highness, I know you are upset. Still, because His Majesty has ordered¡­¡± ¡°What? Investigate. I just want you to know that it will be in vain.¡± ¡°¡­.¡± ¡°Anyway, I will reduce your work. You can use Rashir.¡± ¡°¡­.!¡± Leonhard¡¯s eyes filled with astonishment. ¡°Your Majesty, those words¡­¡± ¡°When Rashir cuts a warlock, doesn¡¯t the original black blood flow?¡± ¡°Yes, forgive me¡­¡± The Crown Prince cut off Leonhard¡¯s words. ¡°One small wound with Rashir would be enough to make a judgment call. Wouldn¡¯t that be better than conducting an unplanned investigation all winter as it is?¡± ¡°Aren¡¯t most of them nobles? I will terribly refuse to hurt them. Besides, you know Rashir, Your Highness.¡± It was only then that Celine realized what the prince was asking for and how shocking the request was. Leonhard did not allow her to touch Rashir even in its sheath. Since even the smallest wounds can inflict unimaginable pain¡­ The Crown Prince was trying to put his entourage into such suffering. ¡°They will obey my orders.¡± At that, Leonhard hesitated and finally nodded his head. ¡°¡­I understand.¡± ©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤ Join our discord to receive the latest updates as soon as possible! Chapter 25 Translator and Editor: Effe and Nabi ©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤ Chapter 25 When they left the office, the attendant, who had been waiting in advance, guided them to the accommodation. ¡°I will take you to Trian.¡± Leonhard¡¯s face, who had struggled to keep his composure, hardened. ¡°His Highness must have been very angry.¡± ¡°Is there any problem?¡± ¡°You¡¯ll know when you go.¡± ¡°Lord, please do not misunderstand.¡± The attendant who was guiding bowed his head as if he was sorry, ¡°His Highness has judged for himself that Trian will be convenient for carrying out the mission as it is free to enter and exit. If you are still hesitant, I will post a report.¡± ¡°It¡¯s fine.¡± Leonhardt replied coldly. ¡°It will only be a week or so, and there is no need to change it.¡± Eventually, they reached their destination. Celine¡¯s eyes widened. There was a small and pretty brick house in front of her that did not fit into a luxurious palace. Leonhard muttered softly next to her. ¡°Among those many rooms, he gave us Trian. Even the imperial servants do not stay here.¡± ¡°I like it.¡± Her words were sincere. When she heard Leonhardt¡¯s grumbling, she thought they¡¯d given them a hut that was all crumbling down. At worst, like a horse stable¡­ Though in reality, Trian was a pretty two-story brick house. It didn¡¯t matter to the extent that there were no resident servants. Hearing her words, his expression slowly softened. ¡°¡­Well then, I¡¯m glad.¡± *** It has been a week since they arrived at the Crown Prince¡¯s Palace. Celine really liked her life in Trian. Life in an ordinary house, not in a huge castle or mansion. ¡°Lute Celine, now all you have to do is put the dough in the oven.¡± At that, she followed Danny¡¯s instructions and put the dough into the oven, and closed the door. She didn¡¯t really need to bake the bread because there was a dedicated cook who came with every meal. Nonetheless, Celine wanted to bake bread by all means on this occasion. After a while¡­ Danny tasted the steaming bread and said with a puzzled face. ¡°Lute doesn¡¯t have any flair for cooking. It¡¯s okay. You¡¯re a powerful wizard!¡± Celine smiled and took the bread, and took a large bite. Although she did what Danny told her to do, it doesn¡¯t taste that good. But, Danny¡¯s words were no exaggeration. ¡°¡­It really is.¡± ¡°Well, if Lute clicks your hand, the chef will bring all kinds of bread. Don¡¯t be too disheartened.¡± ¡ªBang! Suddenly, someone opened the door wide. Celine sighed and turned her back. Leonhard walked forward with an excited expression on his face. ¡°What else did His Highness Ricardo say this time?¡± ¡°He said he finally set a date.¡± In one week. According to the Crown Prince¡¯s promise, it would have been time to inspect all of his aides. However, the Crown Prince¡¯s aides did not try to meet Leonhard Bernoulli using these and other excuses. ¡°That Marquis Montgomery or Mongomary is lying in bed with the flu, isn¡¯t it?¡± ¡°It¡¯s Montgomery. And, this time for sure.¡± He then began to explain the conversation he had with the Crown Prince a while ago. An hour ago. Leonhard arrived at the Crown Prince¡¯s office with anger all the way to his head. Yesterday, he ran all day and went to Marquis Montgomery¡¯s residence, and the Maquis said he had severe flu and refused to even talk. Treasurer Krelin went on a business trip to the South. He only found out about it after he stormed into the Treasurer¡¯s office. Meanwhile, Countess Viera said her child had scarlet fever, and she refused to approach anyone. Knight Commander Pavle Dehaka politely denounced Leonhard, saying that a duel for the honor of a gentleman was scheduled. Other close associates of the Crown Prince also refused to investigate, giving various excuses. It would be rude to refuse only after Leonhard took the time to get to their private residence or office. ¡°Is the investigation going well?¡± ¡°You know the situation better than anyone!¡± The Crown Prince¡¯s eyes narrowed. ¡°Don¡¯t get agitated. I called you to solve it.¡± ¡°¡­.¡± Leonhard bit his mouth tightly, fearing that he would be taken away for contempt of the Imperial Family if he had replied with something rude. ¡°I know my people avoid you¡­¡± The Crown Prince uttered in a hard, stiff voice, ¡°But, please understand. It is not pleasant for them, or for me.¡± Hearing that, he tried to keep his composure but failed. ¡°¡­It¡¯s not something I want to do either.¡± ¡°I know, I know.¡± The Crown Prince smiled. ¡°I don¡¯t feel sorry for you, so don¡¯t get me wrong. Come on, look at this.¡± Then, he handed him a long parchment. Leonhard read through the parchment at high speed. ¡°Your Highness, this is¡­¡± His voice was shaking, and he couldn¡¯t speak properly. ¡°Did you ask for consent?¡± ¡°They were all welcoming.¡± The content of the document was simple. All the aides of the Crown Prince gathered at the banquet hall of the Crown Prince¡¯s palace for one day and would be judged by Rashir. Leonhard frowned. Of course, this method was much simpler and would save much more time. However, there was a reason he had visited their private residences and requested a one-on-one meeting until now. ¡°But, if there is a warlock among them¡­¡± ¡°All my people will be at risk.¡± Leonhard raised his head. The Crown Prince was glaring at him with eyes that resembled an eagle hunting for his prey. ¡°Tell me. If I knew there were warlocks among my people, would I come up with a plan like this?¡± ¡°Of course, I know you don¡¯t know¡­!¡± Leonhard knew he had made a mistake the moment he brought the words out of his mouth. On the other hand, the Crown Prince, of course, did not miss the opportunity. ¡°Then, what about this? What if there were really warlocks among my people? Are they going to object?¡± ¡°¡­How would they object? The moment they oppose it, you will find out that they are a warlock.¡± ¡°If they entice a few people to oppose it together, it won¡¯t be noticeable.¡± The Prince looked at Leonhard before uttering his last words. ¡°Anyway, check it out for yourself. I don¡¯t care. None of them would be warlocks.¡± At that, Leonhard stood up respectfully. The whole time he said his greeting and left, the Prince didn¡¯t say a word, but his sharp gaze continued to press on Leonhard. ¡°¡­That was how it happened.¡± Leonhard sighed and finished his explanation. Celine just cut and organized it, ¡°So, His Highness Ricardo is playing some kind of gamble.¡± ¡°Yes.¡± ¡°What do you think, Leonhard? Do you think His Highness is right?¡± ¡°I don¡¯t know.¡± Answering her, he seemed to be in deep thought. ¡°But, His Highness definitely has nothing to do with black magic. It is not the situation that the Emperor is most concerned about.¡± ¡°His Highness Ricardo is quite reckless.¡± ¡°He¡¯s that kind of person originally.¡± Leonhard nodded his head. ¡°Well, it doesn¡¯t matter since I¡¯ve been the only person in danger so far¡­ I don¡¯t think he¡¯d even put his close aides on the gambling board.¡± Celine¡¯s eyes widened. ¡°Why doesn¡¯t that matter?¡± He then looked at her with an expression that he did not understand before asking. ¡°What do you mean?¡± ¡°Why doesn¡¯t it matter that Leonhard is in danger?¡± ¡°Well¡­¡± His mouth shut after a few words. In an instant, Celine¡¯s tiny body burned with anger. ¡°Because it¡¯s always been like that¡­? Or, because you¡¯re strong? Leonhard is hurt too! Oh, if you have a body that doesn¡¯t die, even if you die like me, please let me know. I will take note.¡± ¡°No, no.¡± She did not give Leonhardt time to argue, ¡°Say it, I don¡¯t die at all. So, can I be in danger? More than Leonhard?¡± ¡°¡­Absolutely not.¡± ¡°Then, Leonhard shouldn¡¯t be in danger either. Up until now, His Highness Ricardo was wrong.¡± He gazed down at the woman who was so angry that her pale cheeks burned. Had others heard, they would have been more than taken away for contempt of the imperial family. Leonhard had to squeeze his strength from deep inside his stomach to answer. ¡°Thank you.¡± ¡°I didn¡¯t mean to hear thank you. Because Leonhardt is talking nonsense¡­¡± Celine pointed to him the bread on her table. ¡°Danny baked it herself. Please reflect while eating.¡± As soon as he took a bite, Leonhard recognized who made the bread. ¡°¡­It¡¯s edible.¡± ¡°Really?¡± At his words, her face brightened in an instant. ¡°I don¡¯t speak empty words. Especially when it comes to eating, people who like sweets will hate it, but since it¡¯s plain, it¡¯s not bad.¡± He glanced with pleasure at Celine, who hesitantly confided that, in fact, she had made it herself. Even though a lump of salt got in his mouth, it felt sweet. *** Finally, the day promised by the Crown Prince has arrived. ¡°Are you sure you want to go?¡± ¡°I¡¯m bored because I¡¯m alone.¡± Celine replied with a slight whim, but both she and Leonhard knew it was not true. The Crown Prince¡¯s aides were all thirty-three. If everyone was innocent, there was no problem. However, if there was a warlock among them and reveals his identity¡­ No matter if it was Leonhard, he couldn¡¯t fight while protecting thirty-two hostages. In the end, he nodded his head, and Celine began to prepare for the banquet. Because it was the Prince¡¯s unofficial banquet, she had to dress appropriately. Danny immediately brought the corset. ¡°Lute Celine, I know you don¡¯t like it, but you have to wear it.¡± ¡°If I wear it, I will die¡­¡± Her words trailed off. ¡°¡­.¡± Without saying a word, Danny removed the corset and pulled out a long velvet dress. After two hours of dressing up, she came out to the living room and saw Leonhard, dressed in a robe, waiting for her. Celine felt her own mouth open like a fool. A dark green robe with splendid embroidery subtly revealed Leonhard¡¯s toned body, and the gleaming gold plaques attached to his shoulders further accentuated his sculptural face. She came to her senses only after he asked a question. ¡°How is it?¡± ¡°¡­Um, it¡¯s hard to move.¡± She fiddled with the necklace with dozens of jewels covering her entire neck. Obviously, she liked jewels and fancy dresses, but she was not very pleased thinking of the emergency situation. ¡°I¡¯ll have to order some more comfortable clothes before I go back because the tailors of the Imperial Capital are very skilled.¡± Then, the cries of the horses were heard. A carriage had arrived to take them to the banquet hall. Leonhard extended his hand to Celine. ¡°Shall we go, Lady?¡± After a while. They arrived at the banquet hall building. As soon as she entered the banquet hall, Celine felt as if she had entered a huge art gallery. Murals covered the ceiling, floor, and walls, and colorful sculptures caught the eye. Nonetheless, compared to the enormous size, the number of people who actually entered the banquet hall was exactly thirty-five. There were no regular employees, such as bands or attendants. Because what would happen here from now on should not be seen by anyone other than the parties involved. Leonhard breathed a sigh of relief when he confirmed that all thirty-three aides of the Crown Prince had arrived. ¡°Lord Leonhard, when will you start working?¡± A sarcastic voice came from somewhere. He twisted the corner of his mouth, confirming that the speaker was Marquis Montgomery. The Marquis looked very healthy for a man who had recently had severe flu. ¡°I am glad to see you are well, Marquis Montgomery.¡± ¡°Actually, I am still not good. But, it¡¯s His Highness Ricardo¡¯s order, can I not follow it?¡± With one hand, he brushed off his gray goatee¡¯s beard, and the other reached out toward Leonhard. No one saw Rashir come out of the scabbard. Only Celine could feel a flash of light in the marquis¡¯s left hand. ¡°Aaaaah¡ª!¡± Then, forgetting about his dignity, he grabbed his left hand and fell on the floor. ¡°Whoa¡­!¡± Leonhardt checked the back of the writhing marquis¡¯s hand. A drop of red blood flowed from the tiny wound. He got up and declared. ¡°The innocence of Marquis Montgomery has been proven.¡± A startling silence fell throughout the banquet hall. No one even moved, only intermittently the marquis¡¯s screams resounded. Countess Viera asked with a pale face. ¡°The pain, how long does it last?¡± ¡°It varies from person to person, but it will stop completely in thirty minutes.¡± ¡°¡­.¡± The Countess closed her eyes and held out her right hand to Leonhard. In the next moment, a scream erupted from the mouth of the Countess. Exactly thirty minutes. It took him to prove the innocence of everyone in the banquet hall except for himself and Celine. In the quiet banquet hall, only screams resounded. ¡°¡­Are you satisfied, Lord?¡± Marquis Montgomery clenched his teeth and shouted. ¡°Did you see it? We are all innocent!¡± At that moment, Celine¡¯s clear voice resounded in the banquet hall. ¡°One is missing, Leonhard.¡± ©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤ Join our discord to receive the latest updates as soon as possible! Chapter 26 Translator and Editor: Effe and Nabi ©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤ Chapter 26 ¡°I know.¡± Leonhard couldn¡¯t have known. The aide who disappeared from the banquet hall was the leader of the Knights Order under the direct control of the Crown Prince, Pabel Dehaka. ¡°Where is Sir Pable?¡± Leonhard politely asked the aides, who had barely escaped his pain. They were all proven innocent and suffered unnecessary suffering because of their master. So, they were people worthy of respect. ¡°Ah, he must have been near me earlier¡­¡± Countess Viera answered with her anxious face. At that, everyone¡¯s eyes were focused on the only exit. A huge ice wall completely blocked the door. Celine opened her mouth. ¡°I¡¯ve been making it since I came in.¡± She replied before adding, ¡°No one would have been able to get out there.¡± ¡°Then, he¡¯ll still be here.¡± ¡ªThud! Everyone flinched. It was because Leonhard had Rashir nailed to the marble floor. ¡°Lord!¡± ¡°Leonhard, where is it?¡± Nonetheless, he ignored the commotions and shut his eyes, concentrating on Rashir. ¡°¡­Found it.¡± Uttering so, he strode towards a point in a straight line as if no one else existed in this space. Everyone in Leonhard¡¯s path made a path as if they had received an order. ¡°Sir Pable.¡± The sound of gasps erupted from all directions. In a place where there was obviously no one, the Knight Commander Pable Dehaka appeared and was staring at Leonhard with bloodshot eyes. ¡°¡­It was you.¡± ¡°What are you talking about, Lord Leonhard?¡± The knight commander waved his hand as if he did not understand. ¡°I had a headache, and I just leaned on the pillar for a while.¡± ¡°¡­Sir Pable, give me your left hand.¡± The knight commander did not even move, but Rashir was pulled out of Leonhard¡¯s waist and drew an arc. *** ¡°It was you.¡± As soon as Celine heard Leonhardt¡¯s voice, she evacuated all of the aides except for the knight commander to the door. ¡ªBang! The blue-grey eyes were wide open. At the same time as the roar, the ice wall broke into pieces of ice, and a huge tree with a trunk the size of a gate stood in the place where the ice wall was. A tree that looked old and withered. Goosebumps sprouted all over her body. She knew instinctively. An evil power that was different from monsters and couldn¡¯t even be felt as life. This was black magic. A blue flame flew out of Celine¡¯s hand. ¡®I have to burn it down.¡¯ Flames engulfed the entire tree. ¡®¡­What?¡¯ The evil energy of the tree did not disappear at all. Rather¡­ As Celine hastily withdrew her magic, the tree looked undamaged. ¡­No, it got bigger. All of a sudden, the roots were stretching out to grab Celine and the legs of the aides. ¡°Hey, what is this!¡± ¡°Kyaaak!¡± The roots quickly wrapped around her and the aides and lifted them into the air. It felt like she was suffocating from the pressure that tightened all over her body. Celine closed her eyes and tried to think calmly. She herself had tried her magic twice so far. ¡®The fire doesn¡¯t go through. The same goes for ice. Then¡­¡¯ The next moment, the wind shook the entire banquet hall. Celine felt the roots wobble to hold her. ¡ªCrack! Dozens of ice blades pierced the roots that wrapped around her. Even though it didn¡¯t break the root, it was strong enough to loosen it in an instant. ¡ªThud! Celine fell to the hard floor. ¡°Us, us too!¡± One of the aides yelled at her as she struggled. Celine thought for a moment. The ice blade was sharp enough to cut through a person¡¯s neck in an instant. Otherwise, instead of the root, she could have killed the life of the aide, who was still intact. ¡°Wait a minute!¡± She didn¡¯t tell them that they had to be wrapped around the roots. ¡®You don¡¯t have to panic.¡¯ Then, she lifted her head and found Leonhardt, who was confronting the knight commander. She was going to help him and she was going to finish the knight as soon as possible. ¡°¡­!¡± Leonhard, as if he had no interest in the knight commander, was running towards her and the aides without stopping. Ugly roots climbed endlessly from the floor to stop him. However, in front of Rashir, the roots that came up were cut helplessly. Slaughtering the roots, he had a cold face that showed no emotion. Rashir flashed from Leonhardt¡¯s hand, finally reaching the aides. ¡°Uwaak!¡± Marquis Montgomery screamed and fell to the floor. Hearing the sound of his crawling, it seemed like he was okay. ¡ªThud! Each time Rashir flashed like a flash of light, the aides held at the root were released one by one. To them, Rashir felt like a flash of salvation. How long has it been? After a short period of time, the aides all settled on the floor. But, the roots were creeping towards them again. Celine pointed to the huge pillar blocking the gate. ¡°Can you destroy that?¡± The next moment¡­ Although Rashir turned into a great sword of Celine¡¯s size, Leonhard swung his huge sword as if it was a feather. ¡ªSNAP! The tree blocking the gate fell, leaving only a stump less than a span in height. He then kicked the gate wide open with his foot. ¡°Escape everyone!¡± At his words, the aides rushed out of the banquet hall. ¡°Celine, you too!¡± ¡°I want to be with you.¡± Leonhard turned around and answered. ¡°Your magic didn¡¯t work for that person. Escape together.¡± ¡°Why doesn¡¯t magic work? You said wizards can fight warlocks too.¡± Celine ignored his words and asked as she followed him. Leonhard frowned. ¡°I don¡¯t know. Warlocks also have different characteristics, so it might be a matter of compatibility¡­ No, I told you to go!¡± Just then, a huge tree sprang up and tore them apart. ¡°Celine¡­!¡± Celine did not cry out Leonhard¡¯s name, nor let a scream. ¡®You can¡¯t attack the root itself.¡¯ However, the wind shook the roots. ¡®Then¡­¡¯ With that thought, she shut her eyes and focused her mind, remembering the teachings of Lute Carl. ¡®Lute Celine, intense light is no less than darkness.¡¯ In an instant, the entire banquet hall flashed blue. Celine took in her breath as light enough to pierce her eyes was scattered all around her. Even the woman who created it herself found it too much to bear; Leonhard and the knight commander must have struggled to keep their eyes open. ¡°A cowardly move!¡± The enraged voice of the knight commander echoed in the banquet hall. She frowned at the wonder. ¡®You create darkness with magic, what¡¯s wrong with that?¡¯ She increased the intensity of the light even further against the dark wizard¡¯s darkness, though no darkness was felt. Eventually, she could see the Knights Commander in the scattered light. He had his whole body wrapped around the roots as if he couldn¡¯t stand even the light hitting his skin. ¡°Leonhard.¡± ¡°I know.¡± Surprisingly, Leonhard¡¯s eyes were clearly open as if he had never been dazzled. He strode towards the knight commander. The roots stopped growing, but rather wobbled as if wounded by his steps. He then stared at the knight commander with the roots tightly wrapped around him as though disgusted. ¡°Pabel Dehaka, I didn¡¯t know you would be corrupt enough to take innocent people hostage.¡± ¡°Is it worse than the Prince who threw his people before a demon?¡± The sneering voice of the Knights Commander resounded throughout the banquet hall. Celine¡¯s eyes widened. Even after hearing that Leonhard was a demon, the color of his face did not change. ¡°¡­Aren¡¯t you ashamed? His Highness Ricardo sent you to that position.¡± ¡°You don¡¯t know anything, greenhorn.¡± ¡°Careful!¡± Leonhard flinched for a moment, then leaped to avoid the sudden crack in the ground. The rift was large enough to swallow him. Meanwhile, the knight commander was panting halfway on the floor as if he had used his last remaining strength. Celine filled the banquet hall with even more intense light. She was afraid that the knight commander would use another move. ¡°Since we are close friends, I will pass on the will to the bereaved family.¡± The knight commander let out a long, creepy laugh. Leonhard glanced at the knight commander, who had kicked his last favor with contempt, and lifted up Rashir. ¡°Kwaaak!¡± With a scream, red blood splashed all over Leonhardt¡¯s body. Not black blood, but red blood. ¡°¡­.¡± Leonhardt¡¯s hands began to tremble. Vivid red blood was pouring out from the body of the Knight Commander Pable Dehaka, which was split in two. He had been slashing warlocks countless times. They shed black blood, and as soon as their lives died, only a skeleton remained. ¡­This man, who had a high status as the Crown Prince¡¯s undisputed right arm, and who helped him several times¡ª ¡°Leonhard, what¡¯s wrong?¡± When Celine¡¯s worried voice was heard, Leonhard instinctively pushed her away as she carefully grabbed his own arm. ¡°Leonhard¡­?¡± ¡°Pable Dehaka¡­ Sir Pable is not a warlock.¡± ¡°¡­.!¡± Celine¡¯s eyes widened in astonishment. It was then that the realization struck her that the blood couldn¡¯t be this red if it were a warlock. It was not impossible to cheat with magic, but the opponent was Leonhard. ¡®The reason that he couldn¡¯t create darkness¡­¡¯ A normal warlock would have been able to create darkness against her light. Though Sir Pable only produced more roots¡­ ¡°Then, he was lured in¡­?¡± ¡°He must have been lured in. If he was just lured in, he would have passed Rashir¡¯s test and showed red blood just like other aides.¡± Celine stumbled. Leonhard¡¯s hard voice was heard. ¡°Sir Pable was a victim.¡± ¡°¡­.¡± ¡°He loved his wife terribly. I should have thought about why he didn¡¯t even leave a will¡­¡± She couldn¡¯t say anything. Celine didn¡¯t know this person was being exploited, so she couldn¡¯t say it wasn¡¯t Leonhard¡¯s fault. Unlike her life, because she didn¡¯t know about other people¡¯s lives, it wasn¡¯t something she could take lightly. ¡°Who the hell why¡­ Why are you doing this?¡± Leonhard couldn¡¯t answer, because he had dangerous speculation in his head that he couldn¡¯t even speak out. ¡®Sir Pable, your Master is¡­¡¯ Rashir vibrated from the scabbard. *** The Crown Prince of the Empire, Ricardo Unsorem stared at the man whose eyes were shining brightly and dared to hold his head upright in his face. ¡°Leonhard, I didn¡¯t know you were such a brazen man. I thought you were guarding me.¡± A hoarse voice escaped Leonhard¡¯s sharp throat. ¡°After completing my mission, I will receive the proper disposition.¡± ¡°Mission?¡± The Crown Prince frowned. ¡°Your mission was to find out if there were any warlocks among my people. Isn¡¯t the verification over? Very perfectly.¡± Even though the tone was clearly sarcastic to anyone who heard it, his expression was calm. ¡°There is still one left.¡± ¡°¡­.?¡± ¡°Excuse me.¡± Leonhard walked closer to the Crown Prince. Rashir¡¯s blade shone blue. ©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤ Join our discord to receive the latest updates as soon as possible! Chapter 27 Translator and Editor: Effe and Nabi Chapter 27 ¡°Lord!¡± The Prince¡¯s complexion became blue as he sensed Leonhard¡¯s purpose. ¡°Sorry.¡± Even though he said so, Leonhard didn¡¯t seem sorry at all. ¡°Touching the Imperial Family is not something you can easily get out of as usual. I know your feeling, though this is too much.¡± ¡°¡­Sir Pable.¡± Leonhard clenched his teeth and spit out. His hand was still holding Rashir firmly as he continued his next words. ¡°¡­Was being manipulated by someone.¡± ¡°Yes, I got a report, too.¡± ¡°Why, who do you think controlled him?¡± ¡°¡­.?¡± ¡°Lord Pable could have survived if he had been put to the Rashir test. But then, he runs rampant towards me¡­ He was killed.¡± Taking a moment to catch his breath, Leonhard¡¯s head was slightly dizzy, probably because he was so angry. ¡°Like he¡­ He had to die.¡± ¡°What do you mean, Lord?¡± ¡°Before I came, wasn¡¯t it Sir Pable who was digging up the signs of black magic? There aren¡¯t any other talented people in Your Highness¡¯ aides who can take on the investigation.¡± ¡°¡­.¡± He was once close to the Crown Prince to such an extent that he knew that his silence was an affirmation. ¡°Sir Pable did an investigation and noticed something he shouldn¡¯t have known. Although isn¡¯t it something too loud to keep his mouth shut? You had to kill him. So, I thought about it¡­ Who would benefit the most from Sir Pable dying at my hands¡­¡± ¡°So, are you saying that I am the culprit?¡± At that, he replied calmly. ¡°If I had thought Your Highness was certainly a warlock, I would have already turned myself in as an imperial murderer.¡± ¡°That is very comforting.¡± Saying so, The Crown Prince snorted. Leonhard decided that the explanation he had to give was over and quietly approached him. ¡°It¡¯s blasphemous, Leonhard.¡± ¡°I know.¡± Leonhard was no less nervous than Rashir. ¡°But, I have to check.¡± ¡°I can¡¯t believe that!¡± The Prince rang the bell to get the attendant. ¨CSlash! He then cut the bell from his desk and set it lightly on the floor. ¡°Lord, the North will pay the price for your ignorance!¡± Simultaneously with the Prince¡¯s words, a flash of light flashed. ¡®¡­.!¡¯ Leonhard¡¯s whole body stiffened. It was because the drops of blood on the back of the Prince¡¯s hand were red. *** When the news that Leonhard Bernoulli had been arrested, Celine was feeding Lou her magic stone. ¡°I beg your pardon?¡± She could barely utter a word through her trembling lips. After eating the blue magic stone, Lou, who was blue like Rashir, crawled into her sleeve. The official explained again without showing a sign of surprise. ¡°Lord Leonhard Bernoulli attacked His Majesty the Crown Prince and was imprisoned in Topien.¡± ¡°No way the Lord can do that!¡± Unlike Danny, who was immediately indignant, Celine, who was white, didn¡¯t say anything. At the same time, the official gave the notice quietly. ¡°Trian is a place bestowed by His Highness. You must leave immediately. His Highness said that he would be lenient and would not hold the charge against you.¡± ¡°¡­.¡± The official, as if thinking that Celine¡¯s silence was an agreement, gave a triumphant notice as though he had bestowed upon her a great favor. ¡°It would be too much on foot, so I will give you a carriage. However, we can only take you up to the entrance to the Crown Prince¡¯s Palace.¡± ¡°Understood.¡± A dry answer came out of her mouth. Danny was about to protest, though Celine shrugged her shoulders, realizing there was nothing she could do. Then, the two hurriedly packed their things. Celine took a look at every corner of the little house she fell in love with during her brief stay here. On the other side of the kitchen, bread, which no one was eating except Leonhard, was neatly laid out. In a vase in the living room, flowers that he had picked from a greenhouse that the Imperial Family had said to take care of were placed beautifully. Danny urged her. ¡°Lute, let¡¯s go. We need to quickly join the people who are staying outside the castle¡­¡± The official¡¯s cold voice was heard. ¡°Employees who were staying on the outskirts have already been expelled from the Capital.¡± This time, she couldn¡¯t just let it go. ¡°They would have nothing to do with this.¡± The servants brought in from the North had never even set foot in Libron Castle, let alone the Crown Prince¡¯s Palace. In the first place, after arriving at the hotel on the first day, Celine didn¡¯t even see their faces. Even the fact that they were staying on the outskirts of Libron Castle was something she had just learned. ¡°Since their master was a sinner, it is a natural disposition. Remember, the Crown Prince did a great favor to Lute.¡± ¡°¡­.¡± Celine did not fight. Nothing would help her if she provoked the official that acted as the Crown Prince¡¯s agent. And so, they easily got into the carriage. She whispered to Danny as soon as the carriage began to rattle. ¡°Danny, what is Topin? Is this the dungeon in the Crown Prince¡¯s Palace?¡± ¡°It¡¯s a place where high-ranking nobles are enslaved, so it¡¯s not a typical prison. It¡¯s not in the Crown Prince¡¯s Palace, it¡¯s in the central section of Libron Castle.¡± Danny was not surprised by Celine, who did not know common knowledge and answered faithfully. ¡°Do you know where exactly it is?¡± ¡°Lute, please¡­¡± At the reaction, she asked again in a stern voice. ¡°Do you know where it is?¡± Danny nodded her head with a determined expression. One after another, whispers and bustling movements took place inside the carriage. However, the sound was too small for the coachman to notice, who was so nervous at the thought of driving a carriage inside the Crown Prince¡¯s palace. Finally, the carriage reached the entrance to the Crown Prince¡¯s Palace. ¡°We¡¯re here.¡± The coachman approached the door to drop off the wizard from the north. The wizard, with her gorgeous blond hair hanging down, gracefully set her feet on the floor, without much help from the coachman. ¡°Thank you.¡± ¡°¡­.?¡± The driver tilted his head. Obviously, the wizard spoke respectfully when she got on the carriage. ¡®Have her maid nagged her?¡¯ Although the doubts quickly dissipated, as he had a pile of work to do today. Danny¡¯s expression hardened only after the carriage had completely left. ¡°It seems to have worked.¡± ¡°Thank you so much, Danny.¡± ¡°Are you really okay with being alone?¡± Celine put on her own clothes and glanced at Danny, who had dyed her hair yellow with magic. ¡°What Danny has to do is go north, as Celine Hunt.¡± ¡°¡­All right.¡± Celine, who dyed her hair black and dressed in the maid¡¯s robe, sighed in relief. How hard was it for her to calm Danny, who was running rampant along the way, saying that her plan was ridiculous. Fortunately, Danny eventually complied with her stubbornness because she could never deny Celine¡¯s words that Leonhardt needed her. The two quickly changed clothes as the carriage drove, and Celine used her magic to change the color of her own hair with Danny. In addition, all the servants brought in from the north had left, so few know their faces in the zodiac. This should suffice. ¡°Please, take care.¡± ¡°I promise.¡± Celine answered sincerely. After a while, Danny¡¯s figure eventually disappeared from her sight and Celine quickly walked towards the central section of Libron Castle. Before she could fall into the night, she had to find Leonhard. ¡°Fuuu¡­¡± Celine took a deep breath. She reached the central section, but, as Danny said, there was no palace that could be used as a prison for the nobles. ¡®I¡¯ll have to ask.¡¯ At the same time, the lavishly dressed servant passed by her at a quick pace. At that, she did not miss an opportunity. ¡°Where is Topin?¡± ¡°Topin? Why are you asking that?¡± The servant immediately warned Celine. It was only natural to do that when a lone escort maid would ask strange questions without her master. Celine answered in an urgent voice. ¡°The young lady I serve left me behind saying she had to see someone there¡­¡± The servant looked even more suspicious. ¡°What kind of family was she, that she was going to meet someone who is imprisoned in Topin¡­¡± ¡°It¡¯s Lute Celine.¡± Celine was a little worried that the servant might not know her, though he immediately looked at her with a startled face, so she was slightly relieved. ¡°You mean that northern wizard?¡± She nodded her head slowly. Seeing that, the servant¡¯s face turned red for a moment before turning blue. ¡°If the Crown Prince knows¡­!¡± ¡°Before that, I will take her out with me. Please, tell me the way to Topin. She¡¯s a wizard, but she¡¯s weak, so she probably wouldn¡¯t have been able to do much.¡± It wasn¡¯t wrong. Celine couldn¡¯t move much, and it was true that her body felt too weak to the point of death from time to time. And so, the attendant nodded his head and began to guide her at a quick pace. While lamenting his own plight of having to find that stupid lady, even though there was a mountain of work, Celine followed the attendant and glanced around her. She had to get used to the way, just in case she had to run away. Thanks to the cursed mansion and labyrinth-like Bernoulli Castle, her sense of direction was perfectly mastered. The servant spilled his words inadvertently. ¡°How could the Lord be like that¡­ Your Lady must have been very worried.¡± ¡°What exactly is going on?¡± ¡°It¡¯s not something a single maid would know.¡± The servant replied as if snorting. As a servant of the imperial family, he seemed to have great pride. Finally, Topin appeared. Celine noticed that ¡®it¡¯ was Topin before the servant could even explain because it was the only eerie place in this gorgeous and beautiful castle. The wall made of gray bricks looked several hundred years different from other places in the castle. ¡®¡­Is this really a place where only the nobles are imprisoned?¡¯ Celine frowned. The scale of Topin was like all the criminals of the Capital¡­ If not, it was at a level that could accommodate a significant number of criminals. ¡°Where the hell is your Lady?¡± The servant blew out annoyance. ¡°Sorry. You must be very busy¡­ I will look for her slowly.¡± ¡°It should be. I¡¯ve done enough, so I¡¯ll go. Don¡¯t forget to leave as soon as you find her.¡± Celine smiled slyly as soon as the servant turned his back and ran the way he had come. She approached slowly. Although not a single soldier was visible, the front door was firmly shut. ¡®You don¡¯t have to go through the door.¡¯ Celine strolled along the walls of Topin. ¡®A place to hide¡­ Over there!¡¯ There was a huge tree growing along the wall. Celine took a deep breath. Following her gaze, an icy staircase quickly grew from the ground to the top of the wall. She then climbed the stairs slowly, being careful not to slip. She had to be careful because she had a dead-ending where she slipped on the ice and died. Not long after, a window appeared. Carefully, she poked her head into the window. It was dark, and she couldn¡¯t see anything, but she couldn¡¯t feel any presence. ¡®Because light can illuminate any number of things.¡¯ Without hesitation, she tucked her body into the window. ¡°Ouch, ouc¡ªouch¡­¡± Even though there was no difference in the distance between the window and the floor, there were some pebbles on the floor, which made her palms on the floor painful. ¡®Well, let¡¯s light the light first.¡¯ In an instant, the room lit up. ¡°Gasp¡­!¡± Celine took a deep breath in astonishment and terror. She was a few steps away from several chairs, studded with nails as if they were going to kill whoever sat on them. Behind the chair was the Iron Maiden, revealing its creepy inside. Then, she gazed down at the floor and she almost screamed. The grains she thought were pebbles were uprooted human teeth. This place¡­ It was a massive torture chamber. She knew it very well. Chapter 28 Translator and Editor: Effe and Nabi Chapter 28 ¡®¡­Let¡¯s calm down.¡¯ Celine placed her hand on her chest to calm her startled heart. This was a stage. She cleared it with not much difficulty. ¡®It¡¯s rather better.¡¯ She had been trying so hard to find it, so she was automatically brought into another stage. However, one troubling question arose. ¡®Why was it here?¡¯ The torture chamber was the third stage. Since she cleared the first stage, after Leonhard¡¯s mission was over, she was thinking of finding the second stage, the Monster Forest. However, suddenly, the third stage appeared out of the blue. ¡®As if someone was punishing me¡­¡¯ Celine laughed at herself for a moment. It was an absurd idea. Let¡¯s say that Leonhard was imprisoned. But, how did anyone know that she would try to sneak into Topin, and if they did, that she would eventually come through the window¡­? ¡®First, we have to solve this situation.¡¯ Celine scrutinized the instruments of torture that she had seen dazzling in the blue light. The torture room was the only stage in [ Celine¡¯s Nightmare ] where there were no villains or monsters to chase after. Instead¡­ ¡ªTadaak! ¡®As expected.¡¯ The Iron Maiden approached her, showing the bloody insides wide open. Celine closed her eyes tightly and opened them. There were no villains or monsters chasing after the main character in the torture chamber. Instead, there were torture apparatuses that moved like wild beasts. ¡ªThud! As the ice barrier rose between her and the Iron Maiden, Celine ambled carefully around the barrier. Iron Maiden continued to crash into the heart of the ice barrier like an ox that only looked in front of it. This stage was not the type that could be cleared by running fast. Rather, it was close to the opposite. Moving slowly, the torture instruments had to be dealt with one by one. There was magic, so it would be a little easier. Nonetheless, if she failed at least once, she would face a tragic death. Just thinking about it made her body tremble. When she finally freed herself from the Iron Maiden, huge wheels rolled in a straight line towards her. ¡®¡­.!¡¯ Although she quickly avoided the wheels¡¯ trajectory, the wheels staggered and chased after her. When she quickly glanced around, a black iron rod was broken on her floor. ¡ªKick! As the wheels were about to crush Celine, she slipped the iron rod right into the wheel. ¡ªKiiiikkk! The wheel stopped with a creepy sound. ¡®¡­Phew.¡¯ Celine stroked her chest and moved her steps again. When she went through about five or six torture devices that attacked, an empty space with no torture devices was revealed. Her whole body stiffened. ¡®¡­Something is coming.¡¯ The most terrifying dead flag in the torture chamber was right in front of her. Her blue-gray eyes narrowed. The ¡°frame of death¡± would be hung from the ceiling that was too high to see properly. If she were to step into it blindly, a frame a little smaller than her body size would fall. ¡®¡­And, the whole body will suffocate and die.¡¯ Celine¡¯s body trembled. She knew how to get through this section, but¡­ ¡®Can I do it?¡¯ Celine took the key out of her arms and held it tight. She certainly swore when she heard the ¡®prophecy¡¯ about Leonhard. She said that she would not continue to die, and he would change the darkening future. It would be easy to go back the way she came. Still, that wouldn¡¯t change anything. With that thought, Celine closed her eyes tightly and lay flat on the floor. It felt like half-dried sticky blood. ¡®Slowly, slowly¡­¡¯ And so, she crawled slowly, imagining a snail. In this section, impatient users had to move slowly enough to get nervous and turn off the game. She was so nervous, the pulse of her whole body was pounding. The ¡®frame of death¡¯ was set to not open until the main character¡¯s body became a skeleton. ¡®Let¡¯s not think uselessly.¡¯ Shutting her eyes tightly, it was comfortable not to look at the dark, sticky floor. ¡®It¡¯s cold!¡¯ Suddenly, the tip of her finger touched the ice-cold wall. Celine raised her trembling arm and glanced across the wall. ¡®Finally¡­¡¯ Finally, it was over. She then squeezed her little mental strength and stood up. At that moment, she noticed the half-dry blood clots on Danny¡¯s clothes caught in her eyes. After a moment of feeling sorry for her, her eyes widened. The antique letters engraved on the wall in front of her contained contents completely different from her memories. [ Those who tears the sky will become a star. ] ¡®It wasn¡¯t like this¡­!¡¯ When she reached the end of the third stage, she couldn¡¯t remember the exact content of the text she could read. Nevertheless, she could tell that it was completely different from this content. ¡®All humans will die someday, that¡¯s what it was all about¡­¡¯ It had nothing to do with clearing the game, but only to promote the horror of the game. Even though Celine pondered the meaning of the new text, she still had no ideas. ¡®At least, it¡¯s different from the game, so you should think about it in a good way.¡¯ ¡­For now, clearing this stage is the top priority. Thinking that, she pushed hard against the wall. ¡®¡­.?¡¯ Nothing happened. ¡°What¡­!¡± A word that came out of Celine¡¯s bewildered mouth resounded throughout the torture chamber. ¡°What! What! What¡ª!¡± ¡°¡­.!¡± At that, she hurriedly covered her mouth with her hands. She was more afraid of the fact that she had nearly taken a step backward unknowingly than of the echo. The next moment, she lifted her staggering body and stared carefully at the wall. The fact that the words have changed from her memory may be a hint that the final solution on the stage has also changed. ¡®Is this¡­?¡¯ A little higher than her own head, a hole was seen and she reached out and touched the hole. ¡®¡­Keyhole?¡¯ Although what she touched felt obviously like a keyhole, there was no keyhole in the third stage¡­ No, in [ Celine¡¯s Nightmare ], Celine didn¡¯t remember seeing a key or a keyhole on any stage. This was because the key role was played by pendants, coins, and dolls¡¯ heads. ¡®If¡­¡¯ She once again took the golden key out of her arms. The key, which had shone in the dark, shone more dazzlingly under the light that she had created. Celine hesitated for a moment before raising her hand holding the key. It was not very likely, but she won¡¯t know for sure until she try. ¡ªClick. As the key turned correctly, Celine¡¯s face lit up with hope. When the key was turned completely, the wall automatically slides sideways, as in the game. She set her feet on the corridor that stretched out before her. She no longer had to create light. A pure white light was pouring from the wide windows on either side of the corridor. ¡®Music¡­?¡¯ As soon as she took a step, she heard familiar music. Though it was a harpsichord performance that was calm and beautiful, it was somehow sad. ¡®No way!¡¯ She stood still in her place, listening to it. No matter how much she listened to it, it was definitely ¡®that¡¯ music. ¡­The theme song of [ Celine¡¯s Nightmare ], which she could hear when she cleared every stage. Awe, fear, intimidation, hope¡­ Celine shuddered at the hot feeling that nothing could explain. Her legs moved spontaneously by an unknown force. She didn¡¯t even think of resisting it as she blankly took a few steps. ¡ªTuk. With a small sound, something caught her foot. As she glanced down, it was a small wooden box with no decorations. ¡®This was it.¡¯ Most of the rewards that can be obtained by clearing each stage were contained in this wooden box. Celine¡¯s hands were trembling. Though it wasn¡¯t because of the tension¡­ ¡­Because it was so obvious. ¡®In the mansion, I didn¡¯t clear the stage¡­¡¯ Here, too, when she cleared a stage, she could hear the theme song just like in the game, and rewards appear. Yet, both were missing from the mansion. ¡®I have just cleared the first stage.¡¯ Celine avoided spoilers well, but she knew about the length of the true ending, which the production crew spoke of in an interview. The true ending was divided into branches from the first stage. However, she got tired of repeating the same stages over and over, so she deliberately cut down on playtime by combining multiple stages. All the information pointed to one fact. The path Celine was walking was heading towards the true ending¡­ Water formed around her eyes. If she just followed the directions of the game, she would know why Leonhard turned black in the game and why he killed the main character like crazy. ¡®¡­And, I¡¯m going to change that, before five years pass.¡¯ Eventually, she opened the box with a firm hand¡ªfive small vials filled with red liquid and a crystal ball slightly larger than her fist appeared. Celine picked up the glass bottle of red liquid. It was definitely a healing potion. ¡®It will be of great help to Leonhard as well.¡¯ Every time he was hurt by a monster, she asked why he didn¡¯t carry a healing potion, although no answer came back. ¡®This is¡­¡¯ She lightly stroked the crystal ball. Despite the fact that she had never seen it as an in-game item, she knew the identity well enough. When she opened the quest window, the text appeared with a crystal ball picture in the background. Celine picked up the crystal ball and looked inside. ¡®¡­.?¡¯ It only reflected her face, and she couldn¡¯t read anything. ¡®What¡­?¡¯ Even though she glanced around the crystal ball for a considerable amount of time, the transparent ball gave no information. She eventually gave up trying to find out information on the spot, and Celine put all of the orb and potions into her pocket. She also cleared the stage and got a reward. Now, it was her turn to find Leonhard. Celine straightened her body. She was no longer trembling, not anxious, or overwhelmed with awe. Her steps as she strode through the corridor filled with certainty. *** ¡°Lord Leonhard Bernoulli will be imprisoned in Topin indefinitely, and all of his entourage will be banished from the capital.¡± It was a very sad fact. As soon as he realized that he had reached the worst situation, his mind was dominated by worries about a woman he had only known for a few months. Leonhard could not for a moment shake off his worries about Celine while shedding ridicule at himself. ¡®¡­Celine.¡¯ He repeated her name to himself as if it was a spell. Even as she reassured herself that it would be okay as the escort maid was with her, his pounding chest did not calm down in the slightest. Unable to bear it, he got up from the sofa and ran to the only doorway. The facilities in Topin were comparable to that of a grand hotel, though the entrance made of iron bars was no different from other prisons. ¡®If only I had time to hide Rashir¡­!¡¯ Leonhard transformed Rashir into a dagger as soon as possible. Nonetheless, before hiding it in his arms, the swordsman took Rashir. It was amusing to see him stumble over Rashir¡¯s weight, but Leonhard couldn¡¯t laugh. Without the sword, no, Rashir, he was just an ordinary human. A magic swordsman was different from a wizard who could always use magic. He always had to use his sword as a medium to use magic. The power itself was much stronger than that of a regular wizard, but if he couldn¡¯t use any power right now, what does that matter¡­? ¡®Well, even a wizard can¡¯t get out of this place.¡¯ The prison in Topin, where he was imprisoned, was built over a hundred years only to prevent the magic from working. The detailed secret method has been passed down through the generations of the craftsmen who built it, and even if the head was cut off, they never gave it to anyone except the successor. ¡®Please, be safe.¡¯ As he thought about magic, naturally the thought shifted to Celine. Leonhard smiled as he suddenly remembered her cheeks that were blushing when she used magic. ¡®I hope she wouldn¡¯t be worried about me.¡¯ In fact, he didn¡¯t worry about himself. He was guilty of harming the Imperial Family, but when a monster appeared, he would have no choice but to release it. Besides, wasn¡¯t all of this happening because of the order of the Emperor, who was the ruler of the Empire? The Crown Prince imprisoned himself was nothing but resentment. So, Celine had to worry about him, who had been kicked out of the North overnight¡­ ¡°Leonhard!¡± Leonhard¡¯s eyes widened, and his mouth opened. A woman was running towards him. Black hair, blue-gray eyes full of passion, dense features, and her flushed cheeks¡­ Obviously, it was Celine. Chapter 29 Translator and Editor: Effe and Nabi Chapter 29 ¡°¡­It¡¯s not a dream.¡± From Leonhard¡¯s gaping mouth, a word that was so stupid even by his standard came out. Celine rolled her eyes. ¡°Oh, my God. Leonhard, it¡¯s not even night yet.¡± ¡°Right.¡± He glanced around Celine, who had her body pressed against the grate. Her dark hair, and even the dirty clothes of the escort maid¡­ It was understandable that she was disguised as the escort maid, though he had no idea why her clothes would be so dirty. ¡°How, how did you get here¡­¡± She cut Leonhard¡¯s words and poured out questions. ¡°It¡¯s all my skills. No, how did this happen! Is, is it true that you harmed the Crown Prince? If, if it¡¯s true, that¡¯s a serious crime! I¡¯m so worried¡­ I¡¯m worried¡­¡± Celine¡¯s voice, who couldn¡¯t keep up with her words, was wet. ¡°Don¡¯t worry.¡± Leonhard sighed. ¡°It¡¯s a week at most. Inside, a group of monsters or warlocks that cannot be dealt with by the knights alone will appear. Then, I can be released with that.¡± For a moment, Celine¡¯s words stopped. Leonhard was talking about his hard work as if it was taken for granted. Last month, he performed her mission with him. Naturally, Leonhard was strong, and most of his tasks were solved without hesitation. However, that did not reduce the weight of his duties. As before, whenever Leonhard casually spoke of such an absurd duty, Celine¡¯s eyes would darken. Seeing that, he looked worriedly at her pale complexion as she was lost for her words. ¡°Are you okay¡­? Did you overdo it? Get some rest. No one comes except for meals.¡± Celine still couldn¡¯t say anything. If she spat out even a single word, she felt like crying. As if nothing that, he reached his finger out of the grate and lightly touched the back of her hand. ¡°I¡¯m sorry for worrying you. As you can see, I¡¯m very lively. Rather, you look worse.¡± ¡°I¡¯m fine.¡± She barely answered in a trembling voice, ¡°Rather than that, Leonhard¡­¡± ¡°Didn¡¯t I say, it¡¯s a week at the most.¡± ¡°There¡¯s no guarantee that you will be completely freed!¡± ¡°Well, if not, my father will use his ways.¡± Leonhard shrugged his shoulders. ¡°Besides, it happened while following the orders given by His Majesty, and His Highness Ricardo would have no choice but to bow down.¡± ¡°¡­Leonhard is very sure.¡± ¡°Because it¡¯s not the first time. It will not be the last.¡± Celine¡¯s eyes widened as she pushed out her question. ¡°Harm, harming the imperial family?¡± ¡°Oh, that¡¯s the first time.¡± ¡°Leonhard¡­!¡± A smile appeared on his lips. He had a knack for amusing Celine, even though he didn¡¯t say much. ¡°I should at least try to make it the last one.¡± ¡°I think I¡¯m going to die from trembling because of Leonhard¡­¡± Celine grabbed her chest. She herself trembled like this, and Leonhard, who joked about this situation, was very slightly resentful. He still had a smile on his face as if something was so enjoyable. ¡°I say it again, but don¡¯t worry. Actually, I am more worried about you.¡± ¡°Ah¡­¡± She understood the meaning of his words without further explanation. Except for the fact that she was a wizard, a very ordinary commoner broke into Topin to meet the prisoner. Perhaps, even the use of magic itself constitutes a crime of blasphemy. ¡°It¡¯s okay if I don¡¯t get caught. I¡¯ll have to find a place to hide.¡± Celine replied bravely. ¡°That¡¯s a good idea, too.¡± Leonhard nodded his head. ¡°But, I have a way out.¡± ¡°¡­.?¡± ¡°I can¡¯t stand watching you nervous, hiding here and there.¡± Celine¡¯s eyes widened. She could hardly believe the calm voice she could hear in her ear and shouted, ¡°But, it gets worse when you come out!¡± ¡°I¡¯m leaving, anyway. There is nothing wrong with leaving early.¡± ¡°Then, why did you come to this place in the first place?¡± ¡°I have to give His Highness Ricardo time to unwind.¡± Saying so, he took a pocket watch from his arms. ¡°About half a day has passed. Enough now.¡± ¡°Leonhard¡­¡± Celine let out her sigh. ¡°Is it easy going out? I heard from Danny that they say you can¡¯t use magic in the center of Topin.¡± ¡°You have to go through people.¡± ¡°¡­.?¡± Leonhard gazed happily at the big eyes, which changed from moment to moment¡ªfrom dazed, to twinkling, then to absurd. Celine actually didn¡¯t know what he was going to do now. It was crazy. So far, he had been far from rebellious. In fact, he never entered the imperial court during the ten years of his duties. However, he felt he could do anything with Celine. ¡­No, he had to right now. ¡°Huh¡­ How are you going to get out? Maybe Rashir?¡± ¡°Rashir has been stolen. It won¡¯t be in Topin in the first place.¡± ¡°¡­.!¡± Celine¡¯s cheeks flushed with anger. Leonhard did not remove Rashir from his body except when he slept in his own bedroom at Bernoulli Castle. Where he could not carry a large sword, he transformed it into a small dagger and carried it in his arms. ¡°How can they do that to Rashir!¡± ¡°I was a bit resentful about that. Well, I understand.¡± Nonetheless, she immediately regained her composure. The situation was now too serious for her to get angry. ¡°So, how are you going to get out? It cannot be broken by force.¡± ¡°I need you to open the door.¡± ¡°What are you talking about¡­?¡± ¡°There is a good way.¡± He did not explain it properly. It wasn¡¯t because he ignored Celine though, because he considered it a bit ridiculous to explain in words. ¡°Find a place to hide until the meal comes.¡± ¡°All right.¡± Celine stared at him suspiciously, then began to look around her. ¡®Is he trying to act like you¡¯re sick?¡¯ Nonetheless, would anyone believe in the trickery of a man who fought warlocks and was the only magic swordsman in the Empire? Besides, Leonhard was the type of person who didn¡¯t look really sick when he was sick. Although she could hardly control her anxiety, but she decided to do what Leonhard told her for now. ¡°Here, how is it? To hide.¡± Celine opened the dusty closet and asked. ¡°No. It¡¯s so dirty that they¡¯ll suddenly feel like they need to clean it. My guard seemed to be a very conscientious person.¡± ¡°What about here?¡± Celine pointed behind the large sofa. ¡°If the jailer sits over there, are you sure you won¡¯t be found out?¡± ¡°It is dark under the lamp.¡± ¡°No.¡± While she continued to point to a decent-looking place to hide, Leonhard rejected them all. ¡°No, where should I hide then? Is there any in the hallway?¡± Leonhard¡¯s reply came a little late. He hesitated for a moment, then vomited out a few words as if he had made a big decision. ¡°Go back. That is the safest.¡± Celine¡¯s reaction exceeded all his expectations. She was blatantly snorting her nose. ¡°What do you think all these stains are?¡± He peered into the escort maid¡¯s clothes, which she was pushing at him. The black, gooey liquid was all too familiar. ¡°No way¡­¡± Leonhard was unable to speak though he could hear Celine¡¯s cheerful voice the next moment. ¡°Don¡¯t worry, it¡¯s not my blood. You will be able to sleep well tonight.¡± ¡°¡­That¡¯s a relief.¡± Leonhard sighed in relief. ¡°But, I almost died. Are you going to send me back to that place?¡± ¡°I get it.¡± The next moment, her joyful voice was heard as she asked again, ¡°Then, where is the best place to hide?¡± ¡°¡­That closet.¡± ¡°That¡¯s where I first said it!¡± Leonhard avoided her tenacious gaze. ¡°They¡¯re all bad, but that¡¯s better.¡± ¡°Of course, I get so.¡± Celine decided to experiment, and she went into the closet. Even though she was a bit choked in the dust, it didn¡¯t seem like there was anything particularly uncomfortable about it. ¡°There is nothing that seems very important. I was expecting it.¡± ¡°If something is important, it¡¯s a big deal. We can open it to find it.¡± ¡°Then, I¡¯m glad. It has nothing but cleaning tools.¡± They rehearsed until the guard with the meal came. First, when she heard the guard coming, she would hide in the closet. Second, Leonhard escaped from prison. Then third, after he and the guard have completely left, Celine would come out of the closet. ¡­The first and third were not too difficult. In her opinion, the second was a huge problem. ¡°Now tell me. What are you trying to say to get out of here?¡± Leonhard looked at her as she had no intention of backing down. ¡°It¡¯s nothing. Just convince them that the time has come for my only use, and then I can get out.¡± ¡°¡­.¡± Perhaps he thought Celine¡¯s silence was because she did not understand his words, and he spoke his words in a hurry. ¡°So, since a monster has appeared near the Imperial Capital, I can say that I need to go get rid of it right away.¡± ¡°No, would that work?¡± Her voice rose. By what meant was how Leonhard, who had been imprisoned here, knew that a monster had appeared? ¡°Of course.¡± Celine flinched. It was because his voice was full of certainty. ¡°¡­Really, can I trust you?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± At that, she didn¡¯t ask anymore. It seemed that there was not much time left. If his plans fail, she would have to stay here until Leonhard would be freed, as she had initially planned. The next moment, footsteps were heard. ¡°Go in!¡± Leonhard exclaimed in a low voice. And so, she hurriedly went into the closet and closed the door. Celine couldn¡¯t see anything but a little light coming through the cracks in the door, so she had to guess by the sound of what was happening outside. ¡°Lord, it¡¯s dinner. The main dish is duck stewed in white wine, which is said to have been a favorite when you stayed in Libron.¡± It was a voice that was polite enough to believe that he was not a guard, but a servant. Leonhard¡¯s stern voice was heard. ¡°Did you say your name is Hafez?¡± ¡°Yes? Yes!¡± ¡°Hafez, now is not the time to eat ducks. A monster has appeared on the outskirts of the Capital.¡± ¡°Yes¡­?¡± Celine doubted her ears. Obviously, she expected a suspicious or bewildered reaction. However, Hafez had a distraught voice. ¡°Lo, Lord¡­ Is that true¡­?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± ¡°Gasp, I¡¯ll report back soon!¡± The sound of Hafez running out of the room was heard. ¡°Stay still. He¡¯ll be back sooner than you thought.¡± As he left, Leonhard gave a soft warning. With that said, Hafez returned so quickly that she could hardly believe he had reported it to his superiors. ¡°Lord, hurry up!¡± Hafez even hurried him, and the sound of the prison door opening was heard. ¡°What about Rashir?¡± ¡°Here it is. I have prepared a horse right in front of the gate.¡± Celine clenched her mouth to keep from groaning in surprise. All of this was happening with one lie from Leonhard¡­! Chapter 30 Translator and Editor: Effe and Tea Chapter 30 ¡°Thank you.¡± Leonhard¡¯s calm reply and familiar footsteps were heard. Celine was on edge. She had felt Hafez¡¯s presence and was still devastated. ¡®When should I leave?¡¯ Celine bit her lip nervously. Hafez told Leonhard that he had his horse ready. If Leonhard leaves Topin too late, he will be questioned. ¡°Oh my, oh my.¡± But instead of leaving the prison, Hafez sat on what was supposed to be a sofa and started groaning. ¡®Come on out! Hurry!¡¯ Celine screamed in her heart, but that couldn¡¯t be heard by Hafez. It would be a big deal, though, if he did. ¡°Oh my, these demons don¡¯t even rest!¡± Hafez lamented loudly, wherever the polite attitude reminiscent of an imperial servant went. ¡°This duck¡­¡­ How hard Mitchell worked.¡± Celine swallowed nervously. A bad foreboding ran through her head. ¡®No way¡­¡­.¡¯ And it happened. Hafez started eating duck meat. ¡®If you want to eat, go out and eat!¡¯ Celine buried her face in her hands. If it weren¡¯t for that guard, by now, she and Leonhard would have ridden the horse and left Libron Castle. But it was foolish for her to go out and confront the guard. Wasn¡¯t it because of her that Leonhard played this trick? About the time Celine¡¯s hands were brimming with cold sweat, and barely suppressing her urge to pour a curse on him, Hafez finally came out. When she listened for him, it didn¡¯t seem like there was at least one person around the prison. ¡°¡­¡­ Phew.¡± Celine sighed in relief and stepped out of the closet. She was in a musty closet that smelled of dust and old wood, and breathing the clean air outside made her feel a little more alive. ¡®I have to get out of here.¡¯ Celine hurried out into the hallway. As she came here, she looked at several windows from which to escape. Leonhard would be waiting near the front door, but this was not the time for Celine to be choosy. Celine reached the closest window. She smashed the window with one wave of her hand and built an ice ladder. Celine quickly climbed the ladder when she confirmed that no one had come. -Whoosh! There was a sound of wind. Celine looked down at the distance. ¡®¡­¡­.¡¯ She couldn¡¯t even dare to go down normal stairs. It seemed as if she could sit down in the middle and stay there, unable to come or go. ¡®Let¡¯s do this.¡¯ Celine took a deep breath. An ice tunnel big enough for one person to fit in from the high ceiling with Celine in the bottom. It was a sight reminiscent of a water slide in a water park, except for the circumstances in which it was located. Celine hurriedly sat down in the tunnel. After a few seconds. ¡°Uh¡­¡­ Uwaaaaaa¡­¡­ !¡± Celine kept her mouth shut, trying not to let her screams escape, but her crackling teeth betrayed her. ¡®I should have made it thicker!¡¯ No, it might have been better off walking down the stairs even if she was scared in the first place. Celine closed her eyes and curled her body for a moment, even after she had reached the ground. Her hair was jagged and she couldn¡¯t possibly stand up. Suddenly, she heard a worried voice. ¡°Celine? Are you hurt?¡± ¡°No.¡± Celine shook her head to get up, but Leonhard sat her on the ground. ¡°Did you escape using this?¡± His voice expressed disbelief. ¡°I regretted it.¡± ¡°Everyone makes mistakes. You¡¯d better get rid of it right now though. It¡¯s very conspicuous.¡± It was then that Celine knew exactly how Leonhard had found her. With a small nod of her head, the ice tunnel disappeared into the air. ¡°Can you ride the horse?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± With Leonhard¡¯s help, Celine cautiously mounted the horse. Leonhard drove his horse very carefully, but Celine closed her ill-feeling eyes and fell half-way down on the horse. She didn¡¯t even know where they were going. ¡®Should I have rested a little bit more?¡¯ But Leonhard has to get out of Libron Castle as quickly as possible, so he has no time to rest. Finally, the painful shaking stopped. ¡°We¡¯re here.¡± ¡°Already¡­¡­ ?¡± Celine blinked. It would have taken quite a long time to get out of the castle. ¡°Leonhardt, this, this is¡­¡­.¡± Celine was so startled that she stuttered. The splendid building standing in front of her was the main building of the Crown Prince¡¯s Palace. ¡°Why, why did we come here?¡± ¡°What do you mean why?¡± Leonhard looked genuinely puzzled. ¡°Of course, to see His Highness Ricardo.¡± ¡°Why, why the Crown Prince¡­¡­ ?¡± Celine was astonished by Leonhardt¡¯s actions beyond common sense. ¡°Because I must ask you to accept the detainment.¡± ¡°I see.¡± Celine murmured as she gave up understanding any longer. It was completely contrary to her common sense of the Middle Ages, but Leonhard was a special person, so an exception may apply. Perhaps he had a similar experience before. ¡®Let¡¯s trust Leonhard. Even in the prison, as Leonhardt said, it happened.¡¯ Celine grabbed Leonhardt¡¯s arm. He flinched slightly, but didn¡¯t pull away. ¡°It will be fine.¡± ¡°You¡¯re not asking if it¡¯s going to be alright.¡± ¡°Because I trust Leonhard.¡± Leonhardt didn¡¯t answer, but a faint smile crept onto his lips. *** ¡°Ricardo, did I interrupt you?¡± ¡°No.¡± The Crown Prince replied politely to Tripila Unsorem, his mother and Empress of the Empire. ¡°Mother will always be welcome here.¡± ¡°Oh.¡± A smile bloomed on the Empress¡¯s face. ¡°I was worried that you had been attacked, but I¡¯m glad you seem to be alright.¡± ¡°Attack¡­¡­.¡± The Crown Prince smirked. His direct subordinates, as well as his employees, seemed to have spread strangely distorted rumors. ¡°That was only a small misunderstanding.¡± ¡°We must make sure that something like this never happens again. How about replacing the Grand Lord¡­¡­.¡± The Empress clicked her tongue slightly. She had been interested in Leonhard Bernoulli long ago, when young Leonhard began living in the palace. ¡°I think it was too much of a burden for a child to bear.¡± ¡°What are you talking about? Now the Grand Lord is a grown young man.¡± The Crown Prince reacted sharply. The Empress was renowned for her compassion and altruism, but she sometimes embarrassed him. Just like this. ¡°Wasn¡¯t it too much to drive out even the Grand Lord¡¯s party?¡± ¡°Mother¡­¡­.¡± The Prince sighed. No matter what the mission was, he had dared to shed the blood of the Imperial family. If the perpetrator had not been Leonhard Bernoulli, the execution date would have already been announced. ¡°Was it better to be imprisoned, tortured? I don¡¯t think there¡¯s anything wrong with telling them to go back to where they lived.¡± ¡°Even if the employees are, but the Lady.¡± The Prince sighed softly. ¡°Mother, it is a rumor that the young lady is Leonhardt¡¯s lover!¡± ¡°You said it with your own mouth, how is that a rumor? She must be imprisoned for contempt of the Imperial court.¡± Because it was true, the Crown Prince could not refute it. The Empress spoke slowly. ¡°You¡¯re right too. What¡¯s wrong with sending his lover back to where she was supposed to be? But it will remain a scar in Leonhard¡¯s heart.¡± ¡°¡­¡­.¡± The Crown Prince couldn¡¯t afford to tell his mother to her face that he had wished for it. The silence didn¡¯t last long. Because the official in charge of the prince¡¯s daily routine appeared breathing heavily. ¡°Your Highness!¡± The Crown Prince stood up. ¡°What¡¯s going on?¡± ¡°The Grand Lord¡­¡­.¡± The Crown Prince and Empress¡¯ identical eyes widened. The Crown Prince urged the official who could not speak properly. ¡°Did the Grand Lord escape from prison? In Topin?¡± ¡°That ¡­¡­ he was asking to meet Your Highness.¡± ¡°Ah, that¡¯s no big deal.¡± The Prince breathed a sigh of relief. ¡°I¡¯m busy right now, so tell him that I¡¯ll visit Topin when I have time.¡± ¡°Not that! The Lord is waiting right outside the office!¡± ¡°¡­¡­ !¡± Before the Crown Prince could react, the Empress spoke first. ¡°Let him in.¡± The door made of ebony wood opened slowly. Leonhard looked as majestic as he had when he pulled out Rashir and dared to shed blood from the Prince¡¯s hand. And the woman standing next to him¡­¡­. ¡°Lady¡­¡­ ?¡± A stupid word escaped from the Crown Prince¡¯s mouth. He had hardly forgotten the face of a person. The woman with black hair and mottled clothes like Leonhard was Celine Hunt. Leonhard walked over and knelt down, as if he didn¡¯t care whether the Prince was dazed or not. ¡°Frederick¡¯s son Leonhard greets the Empress and the Crown Prince.¡± ¡°Rise.¡± The Empress answered softly. She looked at Leonhard, who had raised his body, with warm eyes. ¡°Long time no see. Three years?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± ¡°Have you been well?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± Leonhard answered briefly, and turned toward the Crown Prince. ¡°Your Highness, I apologize for interrupting your time with Her Majesty the Empress.¡± ¡°I¡¯m glad to know that you apologized.¡± Leonhard didn¡¯t even blink an eye at the Crown Prince¡¯s sarcasm. ¡°But, I have a request that I must make, so I came to see you.¡± ¡°What the hell is that? You, who violated my orders and even escaped from Topin.¡± ¡°I want you to release my detainment.¡± ¡°¡­¡­ Ha!¡± The Prince jumped up from his chair. ¡°You are going too far, Leonhard Bernoulli!¡± Even the Empress seemed to agree with the Crown Prince¡¯s thoughts. She looked at Leonhard with a mixture of regret and reproach. Leonhard answered calmly. ¡°It is not just a request. If you release the detainment, I will destroy Agathirsus.¡± ¡°¡­¡­ !¡± This time, only pure surprise appeared on the Crown Prince¡¯s face. Agathirsus. The nest of monsters that have tormented the Imperial capital for decades. As the years passed, it grew in size, and even Leonhard expressed his displeasure that it was difficult to destroy. ¡°Is that the Agathirsus I know? Aren¡¯t you referring to something else with a similar name?¡± ¡°You are right in your thinking.¡± Leonhard¡¯s tone was firm. ¡°If I come back undestroyed, you can detain me again.¡± ¡°That¡¯s a given.¡± The Crown Prince¡¯s voice suddenly brightened. He looked straight at Leonhard with a satisfied expression. ¡°When you return, I will collect the detainment order as well as the deportation order for the party members.¡± ¡°All of my party have left for the North, so you can come and collect it now¡­¡­¡± The Crown Prince beckoned to the woman next to Leonhard. ¡°Your Lady.¡± ¡°This is Celine Hunt, Your Highness.¡± A clear voice that did not match the dirty clothes resounded in the Prince¡¯s office. ¡°Yes, I will also collect Lady Celine¡¯s deportation order. I¡¯m not going to ask you what she¡¯s been up to without leaving the North.¡± ¡°Your Highness, there is one more request.¡± ¡°Another?¡± The corner of the Prince¡¯s lips twisted. The destruction of Agathirsus would cost even Leonhard his life. He can give enough goods, titles, and territories for that. ¡°I escaped Topen because I deceived many officials. Please do not punish them.¡± ¡°¡­¡­ !¡± Only Celine Hunt was not surprised in the office. The Prince was silent for a moment, then he barely regained his composure and answered. ¡°Yes. If you destroy Agathirsus, I will reward them. Do you have another request?¡± ¡°None.¡± Leonhard bowed his head politely and left the office with Celine. Their light steps showed a sense of victory. Chapter 31 ©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤ Chapter 31 ¡ªThud. The heavy door of the Crown Prince¡¯s office slammed shut with a loud noise. Celine felt her head dizzy for a moment and pressed her forehead. The situation from the moment before was spinning round and round in her head. ¡®Leonhard, what have you done¡­¡¯ Doing a deal with the Crown Prince who put him under his detainment! Even at the place where the Empress opened her eyes wide open¡­! Although Leonhard noticed that her complexion had deteriorated, he uttered unhelpful remarks, whether she looked completely in disarray. ¡°I apologize if you were offended by His Highness Ricardo. He is not a very considerate person by nature. Please understand.¡± ¡°What? No¡ª!¡± Celine¡¯s voice, which had lost her absurdity, rose. ¡°Not because of His Highness, but Leonhard¡¯s mission, isn¡¯t it very dangerous?¡± His reply came back a little slowly, ¡°¡­It¡¯s something I¡¯ve been doing alone before I met you. It¡¯s no different this time.¡± ¡°What do you mean, it makes no difference?¡± She was about to ask if he was on a much more dangerous mission, but she stood still with a terrifying thought. As long as it was no different from other missions, there was no need to say that he did it alone until he met her. ¡°Are you thinking of going alone? Are you leaving me alone¡­?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± Celine opened her mouth to refute. ¡®I have to tell him. Didn¡¯t he see the Crown Prince¡¯s reaction? How did he go to such a place alone¡­ Did he forget that I saved him¡­?¡¯ However, all these words lingered on the tip of Celine¡¯s tongue and never came out of her mouth. Why Leonhard was going alone¡­ she knew all too well. ¡®Because there is a high chance that I will die.¡¯ When she died, Leonhard would suffer all night long. Of course, he wouldn¡¯t want her to go with him. ¡®And¡­ I can¡¯t even get rid of it.¡¯ Celine eventually spat out the answer Leonhard wanted. ¡°¡­Be careful.¡± ¡°Thank you.¡± At the words of gratitude, which he carefully recited while relieved openly, her eyes became sore. ¡®What did he mean, thank you? Because I let you go alone to your limbs? Because I don¡¯t stick like a lump of luggage¡­?¡¯ Nonetheless, Celine didn¡¯t spit out any of the questions that tightened her chest. Instead, she pretended to be carefree and asked about the schedule. ¡°When are you leaving?¡± ¡°Tomorrow morning. It¡¯s too late today.¡± They moved to the Grand Hotel. Even though the manager looked startled, without showing any expression, he bowed down to Leonhardt. Of course, changing her hair color and wearing the escort maid¡¯s soiled clothes, Celine was treated as an invisible person. She entered the peony room she was used to. She was going to take a bath right away since she also fell asleep while she was careful not to drown. As she was about to enter the bedroom, she could hear Leonhard¡¯s voice. ¡°Celine, hair.¡± ¡°Ah!¡± Celine shook her head slightly. Her black hair returned to its original gold color in an instant. Leonhard admired it slightly. ¡°It¡¯s easy if you know the trick.¡± Light contains all natural colors, so changing the color was a breeze if you knew how to manipulate the light property. After all, color was the image reflected on the human retina. Carl spoke secretly as if it were a secret, but to her, it was only welcome scientific common sense. ¡°I¡¯ve heard that wizards who specialize in light properties can create sophisticated illusions.¡± ¡°I have seen it.¡± ¡°How was it? Is it really indistinguishable from the real thing, as Lute Carl said?¡± ¡°With a warlock, I knew that everything they made wasn¡¯t real.¡± ¡°Ah¡­¡± ¡°Don¡¯t make a face like that. In the first place, I rarely meet ordinary wizards who are not warlocks.¡± ¡°What about me?¡± ¡°You¡¯re a few exceptions.¡± ¡°It¡¯s an honor.¡± ¡°It¡¯s good to know.¡± A smile appeared on Leonhard¡¯s lips. The next morning, the food the maid had loaded onto the tray was enough to be eaten for dinner. ¡°What is Agathirsus?¡± He almost dropped a toast filled with raspberry jam. ¡°¡­Do you really not know?¡± ¡°I do not know.¡± At her confident reply, Leonhard¡¯s forehead frowned. Celine Hunt lost her parents early, and she was a woman with no proper education. Naturally, she lacked common sense and manners. However, it was a completely different matter for her to not know Agathirsus. It was because no one did not know Agathirsus in the Imperial Capital, or even in the Empire. ¡®No way¡­¡¯ Perhaps, Celine was being abused by her parents long before she was cursed. ¡®¡­Why didn¡¯t I think of this?¡¯ Celine¡¯s parents were fallen noble. The mansion must have been quite expensive until she was cursed though she didn¡¯t have basic education to the point where Celine clumsily used a fork and a knife differently. ¡°¡­It¡¯s a monster habitat. Abandoned for a hundred years or so.¡± Leonhard decided not to express the thought he had just had for the rest of his life. Even if his guess was correct, Celine¡¯s parents were already dead and she was now a Northerner. She had to make up for what she had not been able to enjoy until now. He could hear Celine breathing in. ¡°How could it be a hundred years¡­!¡± ¡°I don¡¯t know exactly. It was probably just the indolence of the knights in charge at first. After that, no one would have dared to challenge it.¡± ¡°Then, what about Leonhard?¡± Leonhard hesitated for a moment. If it was on a scale that could break off one of his arms and destroy it in return, he would have done that earlier. But, Agathirsus was a place where even he felt intimidated that he might fail. ¡°Because I might fail.¡± ¡°¡­.!¡± Celine¡¯s eyes widened, and then she hardened. Leonhard was afraid of failure. What further explanation was needed¡­? She barely finished her meal. It felt like chewing on paper, though she was reluctant to leave it behind. ¡°I have one request¡­¡± Leonhard answered before she could finish her question, it was like a knife in rejection. ¡°No.¡± ¡°Agathirsus, let me see it outside just once. I will not go in.¡± Leonhard¡¯s face immediately frowned, and he asked back. ¡°Do you think I will believe that?¡± ¡°¡­I won¡¯t go in. Because I don¡¯t want to die either.¡± ¡°It is far. You can¡¯t even ride a horse. How are you supposed to get back here?¡± ¡°I will wait for Leonhard.¡± Celine gazed straight into his face, who was speechless momentarily. ¡°You may need me.¡± It was only this time that Leonhard realized that he had lost. Her request was not for her to wait for him. It was a preparation in case he failed. ¡°¡­I understand.¡± Celine smiled softly at the sense of triumph. ¡°I¡¯ll prepare right away.¡± After a while, they got ready and moved to the hotel¡¯s stable. Leonhard¡¯s favorite horse, Black, was so happy to see the master after a long time, heaving and crying. ¡°I should give you some sugar cubes.¡± Although he fumbled around, Celine was faster. Black quickly ate the sugar cube that was placed on her little palm. ¡°Is it delicious?¡± Black neighed and cried in response to her question. ¡°Isn¡¯t that sugar cube served with tea earlier?¡± ¡°That¡¯s right.¡± Leonhard sighed. Celine seemed convinced that he would eventually accept her request. She was right, and he had nothing to say. After a while, they exited the stable and ran through the streets of the Imperial Capital. Well-maintained roads and crowded buildings disappeared quickly, and a village of small houses appeared. It was not difficult to find traces of a monster attack in various parts of the village. Only the expensive horns and teeth were removed and the rest were left to rot, and the corpses of the monsters, the claw marks left on the wall clearly¡­ It was shocking to know that there are quite a few houses where people live even on the streets where the remains of monsters that have not yet been seen are lying around. Leonhard, who felt Celine¡¯s body stiffen, spit bitterly. ¡°There¡¯re knights under direct control here, but there are no proper ones because it¡¯s like a relegation.¡± ¡°Wow, I think it¡¯s wrong to let people live here¡­¡± ¡°It¡¯s a village that existed before the colony was formed. Those who remain are the ones who cannot leave.¡± ¡°¡­.¡± Eventually, a wasteland that did not even have a single piece of grass appeared. ¡°There it is.¡± Saying so, he then pointed to the gray stone mountain. The enormous gray stone mountain with no grass or even a handful of soil was familiar to Celine¡¯s eyes. ¡®The quarry¡­?¡¯ Leonhard confirmed that she was right. ¡°They say it was once a quarry with a fair amount of mining.¡± ¡°I see.¡± The stone mountain was cut in half. If it hadn¡¯t become the base of the monster, it would have been completely slashed away, and only the bare floor would have been left over a hundred years later. Eventually, he stopped his horse in front of a cliff. To the other side of the cliff, there was a gap that seemed to be several meters. Celine glanced and looked down at the depth of several tens of meters. Feeling dizzy, she closed her eyes. ¡°They said it had legs. It was a story from a hundred years ago, so I don¡¯t know the truth.¡± ¡°How, how are you going to get there?¡± ¡°With Rashir.¡± Leonhard put his hand on his waist to pull Rashir out, though there was no need for that. It was because the next moment, a huge bridge made of ice appeared between the two cliffs. ¡°Thank you. But, let¡¯s get rid of this bridge right away. Demons may ride over it.¡± ¡°Leonhard, don¡¯t you think I can¡¯t defeat a few lost monsters by myself?¡± ¡°¡­That¡¯s true.¡± He sighed. Every time he couldn¡¯t understand Celine¡¯s anxious mind, he felt a little resentful. ¡°Then, I will go. It¡¯s going to be boring, but I¡¯m glad you¡¯re with Black.¡± As Leonhard was about to place his feet on the icy bridge, Celine¡¯s fingertips gently grabbed his back. ¡°Leonhard.¡± It felt like his heart stopped for a moment. he uttered word by word as if choking his throat, ¡°If you say you want to go with me, I won¡¯t listen.¡± But, she shook her head. ¡°It¡¯s okay to fail, Leonhard.¡± ¡°¡­.!¡± In an instant, his face was distorted. However, Celine could only see Leonhard¡¯s stiff back. ¡°Please, take care of yourself. Leonhardt¡¯s return. That is the top priority.¡± ¡°¡­.¡± ¡°You know, I can¡¯t ride a horse. If Leonhard doesn¡¯t come back, I¡¯ll starve to death here.¡± ¡°¡­I¡¯m kind of worried. Still, Black is a smart guy, so he¡¯ll get on with it and run.¡± With those words, Leonhard walked forward. The slight pressure from Celine¡¯s fingertips disappeared from his back. He didn¡¯t look back until the very end. The moment he turned around, he felt that sense of crisis as if he was about to roll off a cliff from which he could not escape, would hit him. ¡®Dangerous¡­¡¯ Grabbed his wildly pounding chest, a feeling that shouldn¡¯t have been stirred up. ©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤ Chapter 32 ©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤ Chapter 32 Celine stared at the dilapidated quarry across the cliff. Leonhard left without looking back. ¡°¡­Phew.¡± It will take quite a while to destroy Agathirsus. She should just wait in the meantime. It was fortunate that Black was constantly burying its head in her hands. ¡°Are you bored, too?¡± She muttered at the growing boredom, and then she immediately felt a sense of guilt. It was because Leonhard may be in danger, but she was here, talking about getting bored here. ¡®¡­No, let¡¯s not think like this.¡¯ Celine¡¯s many deaths have taught her how not to be immersed in negative emotions for long. Black shoved its nose into her left side, probably asking for sugar cubes. ¡°No. I don¡¯t have them anymore.¡± Eventually, the sun passed just above her crown and set to the west. It was winter, so the sun would set soon. Celine glanced at the quarry with anxious eyes. Not the darkness, but the fact that his late return aroused her fears. ¡®¡­Would he hear me?¡¯ Leonhard¡¯s stiff back came to mind when she said that it was okay to fail, so he just need to be careful. There were two possibilities. ¡®He was surprised or¡­ Maybe, it¡¯s because he doesn¡¯t want to keep it.¡¯ She wet her parched lips with her tongue. Right then, the gloomy evening sky gleamed with flashes of light. Jumping to her feet, her whole body stiffened with tension. In the meantime, no matter how many monsters she had cut, she had never seen such a dazzling brilliance. Celine quickly recognized the identity of the light. ¡®Fire.¡¯ Leonhard said that it would be safe to take the life of a monster with a sword. ¡®If he didn¡¯t kill them for sure, he would be anxious.¡¯ ¡­But now, he seemed to have rushed enough to burn the demons to death. As she gazed at the flashing lights, Celine thought of a rescue signal that a modern-day shipwreck would shoot, and her body trembled. ¡®No.¡¯ She immediately denied it. Leonhard would choose getting wounded over calling her. She knew him so much that she could tell that. Meanwhile, the sky near the quarry continued to flash as if the lightning struck in succession. Her chest tightened more and more. ¡ªWhiingg! Black let out an anxious cry and stomped its feet. As she reached out her hand to calm it down, Black ran away from the cliff. ¡°Black!¡± Leonhard¡¯s horse fluttered its mane in an instant and disappeared from her sight. ¡®No way¡­¡¯ She could see Black run away at once as if it didn¡¯t care. At that time, as soon as it escaped, the monsters hiding in the huge rock crevices attacked her. If Black had been a little later, he would have been attacked by monsters. Celine¡¯s body stiffened. This was a wasteland, and there was no space for monsters to hide. Nevertheless, there were blind spots. It was huge, too. When she slowly approached the cliff with her feet firmly on the ground, she was glancing down at¡­ ¡®As expected.¡¯ Her prediction was correct. Three black monsters were climbing up the cliff. Goosebumps swelled up. The group of monsters she had seen until now gathered together to protect their leader. The fact that they could afford to climb over the cliff meant that Leonhard was struggling. As if to prove her conjecture, a blue light flashed for a moment in the now completely darkened sky. Her mouth was dry. If she crossed the cliff, she would break her promise to Leonhard. ¡®¡­I don¡¯t care.¡¯ Celine looked at the quarry dyed blue with a determined expression. ¡ªHurr! The monsters climbing the cliff were engulfed in blue flames in an instant. Fortunately, there weren¡¯t many, so she didn¡¯t have to waste a lot of time. As Celine waved her hands, a bridge of transparent ice was placed between the two edges of the cliff. She immediately kicked the ground and ran. She didn¡¯t even have to think about where she was going. Dead and broken monsters all around her became milestones, and the blue light that continued to flash became a compass. Occasionally, the monsters that stood in her way were immediately burned. Tens of minutes later. ¡°Gasp, gasp¡­¡± Taking a deep breath. Although she ran quite a bit, Leonhard¡¯s light seemed far away. ¡®I thought I could catch up quickly if I ran fast.¡¯ It was a stupid decision. After all, he was half a day ahead of her so it would take quite some time to catch up with him. She flopped down on the ground fluttering with dust. If she went on like this, she may die of a heart attack before she even saw Leonhard¡¯s face. Then, tonight, how absurd it would be. She was not an idiot, and she could not die trying to catch up with him. ¡®What do we do¡­¡¯ Celine glared in the dark, so exhausted that she didn¡¯t even turn on the lights. She had no intention of giving up now. More than anything else, Leonhard needed her. After a while, Celine, deciding that she had had enough rest, barely lifted her heavy body. She couldn¡¯t delay any longer. Now, the blue light flashed intermittently. It was impossible to find him in this darkness if that light was no longer visible. She could light up the entire quarry. However, if she used that much power, she would become defenseless against monsters. Celine ran again. How long was it? Finally, a source of intermittent flashing light, like a broken light bulb, caught her eye. ¡®Leonhard¡­!¡¯ Celine swallowed up her greed to shout. Leonhard, covered in black blood all over his body, was wielding Rashir incessantly. There was no gap in the sword¡¯s trace, and the power of the flames rising from the blade was powerful. Dozens of monsters rushing like a massive swarm of ants died in one swing that Rashir created. Subduing her presence, she approached cautiously. ¡®¡­.!¡¯ Celine¡¯s face turned pale. Scars that could not be seen from a little distance came into her eyes. The fact that the sharp teeth and claws of the monster were lodged in the shoulders and back was only a minor problem. Her mind was dizzy by a visible red wound across her right shin that pierced through. Upon closer inspection, Leonhard fought with his right leg immobilized. ¡®¡­I guess he couldn¡¯t move at all.¡¯ Her chest plummeted. Perhaps, she was able to catch up with him because he couldn¡¯t move at all. Dozens of monsters again attacked Leonhard like a tidal wave. ¡ªBang! With the sound of an explosion, the demons exploded in all directions. ¡°Celine!¡± Leonhard turned his head to look at her without moving his body. ¡°Didn¡¯t you decide not to come!¡± She lightly ignored his cry, which showed even anger, and opened her mouth, ¡°Are you okay? You don¡¯t look good.¡± ¡°I, I am fine¡­¡­ No, I told you to stay back!¡± Instead of answering, she managed to get rid of the tidal wave of monsters that were newly attacking her. Even though her weary body screamed, she wanted to give Leonhard a little rest. ¡°Get some rest. Don¡¯t be stubborn.¡± ¡°¡­If you promise to go back.¡± ¡°Do you know how hard it must have been to get here? I thought I was going to die of a heart attack. If I go back alone, I will really die there.¡± ¡°¡­.¡± At that, Leonhard bit his lips. He couldn¡¯t think of a single word. At first, he was angry. It was because Celine made it clear that she would never come after him. When the monsters that should have attacked him disappeared by the power of familiar magic, fear, not joy or relief, reigned over him. Celine was here. She was someone who should never be in danger¡­ However, the moment he heard her worried voice, his anger melted away and his stiff face slowly loosened. ¡°Sit down.¡± Celine¡¯s small hand touched his arm and Leonhard sat down in a rigid position like a doll. ¡°¡­Ugh!¡± A moan escaped from between his tightly closed lips. The right leg, which had been bitten by a semi-boss-level monster, did not function properly for a very long time. ¡°The legs, is it okay?¡± He was still silent while building a barrier to protect them with Rashir. Immediately, Celine¡¯s protest returned. ¡°I can burn it out!¡± ¡°¡­You should realize it¡¯s out of your league, too.¡± At his words, her eyes widened and it curved in a soft arc. ¡°All right. I¡¯m taking a break, too.¡± Leonhard carefully stretched his injured leg. Celine¡¯s voice hardened when she saw the wounds the semi-boss level monster¡¯s claws had inflicted from his thigh to his calf at once. ¡°¡­Leonhard. Were you planning to go all the way in this state?¡± ¡°It¡¯s almost over.¡± He nodded in the direction where she couldn¡¯t see anything, blocked by Rashir, which had turned into a barrier. ¡°Just a little bit more.¡± ¡°How do you know?¡± ¡°I entered once before.¡± ¡°¡­.!¡± He glanced into Celine¡¯s wide eyes and sighed. ¡°It was literally an entry. For investigation only.¡± ¡°Were you alone back then?¡± ¡°No.¡± She wanted to know with whom he was on his mission. Still, she didn¡¯t ask anymore as Leonhard¡¯s face, which had been loosened quite gently, suddenly hardened. Instead, Celine gazed closely at his legs. ¡®He can¡¯t walk.¡¯ Leonhard could not move even a single step. She didn¡¯t know if he could even move while standing on the handstand. ¡®It¡¯s something worth treating¡­ Ah!¡¯ She couldn¡¯t believe that she had completely forgotten about her healing potion. No matter how many things happened, how could she forget such a fraudulent item? At that moment, she pulled out of a vial, glistening with red liquid from her pocket. ¡°Leonhard, drink this.¡± ¡°¡­What is it?¡± ¡°Just drink it.¡± Leonhard frowned. ¡®It must have been a drug made by Branche.¡¯ In fact, the healing potion was different from any other medicine of Branche, though for him, who was busy avoiding prescriptions, it looked like a similar drug. ¡°Go on.¡± Leonhard sighed and took the vial from Celine¡¯s hand. It would be better than not drinking it. ¡®¡­.?¡¯ It was sweet. A groan came out of his mouth. ¡°¡­Is it a drink?¡± ¡°It¡¯s medicine. it¡¯s delicious?¡± ¡°It¡¯s not like medicine at all¡­¡± Leonhardt¡¯s words were cut off. He could hardly believe his eyes. The hideous wound that had torn his right leg in half was slowly disappearing before his eyes. ¡®I knew it¡­!¡¯ Celine¡¯s face widened. At the same time, he gazed up at her with a slightly dazed face. ¡°No way, even such a deep wound will heal right away.¡± ¡°¡­What the hell is this?¡± ©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤ Chapter 33 ©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤ Chapter 33 ¡°I don¡¯t know either.¡± Of course, Celine had no intention of telling the truth. ¡°You don¡¯t know¡­?¡± ¡°I picked it up.¡± ¡°¡­Did you steal it?¡± A shadow immediately fell on Leonhard¡¯s face. This drug did not simply heal wounds. He could feel the strength building up all over his body, and even the scratches all over his body disappeared along with the wound on his legs. He had never heard of such a drug like this. ¡®¡­If it¡¯s Topin.¡¯ If it was a drug in Topin, there was a good chance that it was a treasure of a high-ranking noble detained in Topin. If she stole this¡­ Celine sighed before opening her mouth. ¡°While looking for Leonhard, I found a torture chamber. A few of these were rolling around in the dust.¡± ¡°¡­.!¡± In an instant, an eerie conjecture flashed into Leonhard¡¯s mind. ¡®Is this drug used to torture the prisoner as much as possible¡­?¡¯ He spat out a slightly bitter answer. ¡°You brought it well.¡± Celine was a little more puzzled by his reaction than was calmer expected, though she was relieved because it was a good thing, anyway. Leonhard spoke right away. ¡°Thank you. Thanks to you, I think we will be able to finish the mission safely, so go back right away.¡± ¡°Leonhard!¡± ¡°Go back.¡± ¡°I said it. I think I¡¯m going to die when I go back.¡± Celine added proudly. ¡°Besides, without me, Leonhard would still be in trouble.¡± ¡°¡­.¡± Leonhardt pressed his forehead instead of answering her words. ¡®Why am I¡­!¡¯ The situation was clear. Celine wanted to go with him. The companionship of a powerful wizard would naturally be of great help in his mission. However, Leonhard wanted to reject a choice that would benefit both sides. ¡®If only there was one more sword that could be used¡­ Celine could stay with Rashir.¡¯ Laughter came out of nowhere. He had an absurd idea. How could he cut the boss monster of Agathirsus without Rashir? Obviously, the other party, Celine, wouldn¡¯t want to stay inside a hideout made of Rashir. A sense of crisis tensed Leonhard¡¯s whole body. All the thoughts that popped into his head were irrational, and the root of the problem was himself. ¡°What¡¯s wrong with you¡­? You took the medicine, so you should be fine.¡± ¡°I¡¯m fine, I¡¯m fine.¡± Leonhard answered in a hurry at Celine, who was examining his complexion right in front of him, astonished. ¡°Then, let¡¯s get going. I¡¯m going to stay up all night like this.¡± ¡°¡­Promise me one thing.¡± Saying so, he stared straight into the blue-grey eyes that narrowed with suspicion. ¡°Listen to me first.¡± ¡°Don¡¯t die.¡± ¡°That¡¯s¡­¡± ¡°Even if I die, don¡¯t die.¡± ¡°¡­.!¡± Celine protested immediately. She would risk her life when he had to, as she had always done. Naturally, her death was always horrendous, and it tore Celine¡¯s body and mind to pieces. Still, her body and her mind were eventually restored. It was bound to have a different weight from Leonhard¡¯s life, which cannot be returned once lost. ¡°That can¡¯t be kept.¡± ¡°I thought you would say that.¡± There was a sad look in Leonhard¡¯s voice. He could no longer convince her. If he had said one more word, it would seem that she would say something that could never be undone. Because of that, he shut his mouth and returned Rashir to its original form. The monsters who were waiting for the barrier to disappear came attacking in droves, though they did not become a match for Leonhard, who drank the healing potion and healed all wounds. Now, flames did not come out of Rashir. As usual, he was just slaughtering monsters with the glowing blue blade. Leonhard focused only on his blue trajectory. Celine seemed exhausted, and it was wise for her to stock up on power to face the boss monster. Fortunately, she followed his opinion. After tens of minutes, they reached the front of a vast cave. She stopped still and glanced at Leonhard, who looked inside the cave with a tense expression on his face. ¡°Maybe, is it here?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± Leonhard nodded his head. ¡°You don¡¯t have to go in. If you wait here¡­¡± However, she did not listen to him to the end and moved her legs in stride before entering the cave. There was the smell of water. Her whole body trembled, though she must have warmed herself and Leonhard with magic. A dense, heavy chill dominated the entire cave. Celine raised the warmth against them. Suddenly, Leonhard grabbed her arm gently. ¡®It is the boss monster¡­¡¯ Celine immediately drew the magic power into her body. Although she had not yet felt the peculiar characteristic of her boss monster and the evil energy, she trusted his judgment more than her own five senses. ¡°Hoo.¡± Leonhard let out a whistling sound. ¡°You don¡¯t have to use magic to warm me. It¡¯s hard, isn¡¯t it?¡± ¡°¡­Ah.¡± ¡°If the boss monster feels it, it will send a signal.¡± Nodded her head, she still did not withdraw her magic that she used to warm Leonhard. ¡°Celine, take your magic.¡± ¡°It¡¯s cold.¡± ¡°I¡¯m from the North. It¡¯s different from the capital people.¡± Leonhard, who was actually feeling the cold, immediately bluff with whatever came to his mind first. Eventually, Celine withdrew her magic because she couldn¡¯t afford to argue. He had a satisfied expression. ¡°Trust in my magic.¡± ¡°It¡¯s not that I don¡¯t believe it. But, if you want to face the boss monster here¡­¡± Leonhard suddenly stopped his speech. It was because he felt an intense cold under his feet that were incomparable to before. ¡°Get away!¡± He pushed her away as though wrapping around her. At the same time, the whole cave vibrated as if it was about to collapse. Celine lifted her head as soon as possible and shrieked. In the spot where they had stood a while ago, there was a crack the size of a man wide open. An evil energy slowly leaked out of the crack. ¡°Stick to the wall.¡± At his words, she leaned her back against the cold wall of the cave, trying to calm her beating heart. Meanwhile, Leonhard stood on the edge of the crack and did not move. ¡ªThud! With a roar, the cracks began to grow bigger and bigger. He took a step backward slowly to keep pace with the growing crack. ¡®¡­.!¡¯ Celine¡¯s eyes widened. From the bottom of the crack, something monumental and dark was growing. The moment she found out what it was, her whole body began to tremble in astonishment. There were huge, dead-colored tree roots growing at a rapid rate. It carried an old man with a white beard up to his waist. ¡°¡­Ha.¡± Leonhardt let out a groan and sigh. He didn¡¯t understand why no one knew about this until now. Agathirsus was not a habitat for monsters that had been neglected for a hundred years. A place where for a hundred years, a warlock had developed his power without people even knowing his existence. He didn¡¯t even know how strong the other person would be. Before the old man ultimately revealed himself, he mumbled a word to protect Celine. ¡°Magic, never use it.¡± ¡°¡­Yes.¡± Celine¡¯s answer was small, but it was clear. It was enough for Leonhard to regain his composure. The roots placed the old man on the edge of the crack, then wriggled and vanished into the darkness. The old man, with his back straight, glared at them with blood-red eyes. ¡°Who has disturbed my sleep?¡± Between the gaping mouths were full of sharp teeth resembling those of a monster, words continued to flow. ¡°Don¡¯t pretend you don¡¯t know. I know at least the fact that you guys are in contact with each other.¡± Leonhard answered in a voice like ice. ¡°Ah, little wolf.¡± The old man laughed openly at him. ¡°There is no way I don¡¯t know you. Didn¡¯t you set foot here one day and run away?¡± Leonhard did not fall for the provocation. It should be done after checking how strong the other person was. Fortunately, Celine, too, didn¡¯t even move from her spot as if she had noticed his thoughts either. He then spoke quietly. ¡°How did you hide that this is the warlock¡¯s stronghold?¡± The old man smiled. ¡°Manipulating humans is such a simple thing.¡± ¡°¡­.!¡± Her face contorted in astonishment. A warlock skilled in manipulating humans and manipulating dead tree roots at will¡­ Leonhard¡¯s face hardened like a mask. ¡°¡­You controlled the person in charge at the time.¡± The old man let out a creepy laugh. Celine had heard exactly the same laughter in another voice. It was because Pable Dehaka laughed just like that before being killed by Leonhard. A huge tidal wave of fear came crashing down. This person was different from the monsters, who did nothing but destruction and slaughter without reason or emotion. Human malice¡­ Selfishness, as if nothing was important to him but himself, mixed with malice stiffened her whole body. ¡°Pabel Dehaka, did you control him?¡± ¡°I¡¯m old, so I don¡¯t know the name. The stubborn knight commander¡­? Ha! I showed him hell because he resisted me.¡± ¡°¡­.¡± In an instant, Leonhard¡¯s face, who had been maintaining his straightness, cracked. ¡°What¡¯s the matter? It was you who took his life, young wolf.¡± Celine barely moved his hardened tongue. ¡°Leonhard, don¡¯t listen to the person.¡± ¡°¡­Be still.¡± The old man chuckled and laughed. ¡°A little wizard has rolled in here? Little wolf and little wizard¡­ You are a good couple.¡± Leonhard tried not to react. The other person should not notice his heart. However, it seemed to have touched the old man¡¯s intuition because of such an attitude seeing that massive roots wrapped around Celine in an instant. ¡°Celine¡­!¡± ¡°If you want to save her, it would be better to be more polite. Young wolf.¡± ¡°¡­.¡± Leonhard stared at the old man. He did not budge the roots that covered Celine. He knew her well. She must be struggling to get out of there somehow. She kept her word not to use magic. ¡°¡­I don¡¯t care.¡± ¡°What?¡± ¡°I don¡¯t care if she dies or not. She¡¯s just a magician that the family forced on me.¡± The old man let out another creepy laugh. ¡°If that is the case, we will see.¡± Leonhard¡¯s mouth burned. The man really intended to kill Celine. Nonetheless, his hand was still resting on Rashir¡¯s hilt, who was sleeping peacefully inside the scabbard, and there was no sign of pulling it out. Then, the roots moved. He calculated the position. If it moved a little, he could cut off the roots before the old man touched Celine. Although the roots had moved to the other side¡­ Towards the crack. His hands were sweating. The old man¡¯s intention to drop Celine into the crack was immediately known. But, what he had to do and what he wanted to do were in conflict with each other. The crack was deep enough to look like an abyss. It must be an underground space created by the erosion of monsters over hundred years. Full of all kinds of evil¡­ The answer came right away. Celine must be left alone. She was an undead being, so he could save her by killing the warlock first. That was the fastest way. Leonhard bit his lip until blood gushed out. The blood tasted like the blood of the innocents he had killed. ¡®Should I sacrifice Celine, kill the old man¡­¡¯ ©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤ Chapter 34 ©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤ Chapter 34 Celine struggled in the dark. No matter how much light she turned on, it didn¡¯t help because the roots had blocked her eyes. With the darkness on the outside, fears on the inside engulfed her. The roots tightened her under pressure that was incomparable to that in the Crown Prince¡¯s Palace. ¡®He told me not to use magic¡­¡¯ She could never understand why. However, Celina didn¡¯t even try to use her magic. Because for now, she had to trust and follow Leonhard¡¯s decision completely. Fortunately, as she got used to the pressure that tightened her body, she could hear the conversation between Leonhard and the warlock. ¡°We will see if that¡¯s the case.¡± Just as she was wondering what the noise was, she was thrown away by a massive force into the dark. Bang! Her head hit the ground badly. Thankfully, she felt the soil. It looked like it was a dirt floor, not a stone floor. ¡®I¡¯m not going to die¡­ Thank God.¡¯ It was her last thought before she lost her consciousness in pain. ¡°Celine!¡± A strong hand gently shook her with a familiar voice. Her eyes immediately opened. Leonhard gazed down at her worriedly. Celine took a breath. ¡®He shouldn¡¯t have been here now!¡¯ ¡°Did you die?¡± She was only able to squeeze an answer after she gasped once. ¡°N, no.¡± ¡°That¡¯s a relief.¡± Leonhard was relieved. Her words were true. If she died once when she was alive, her eyes were always filled with pain and fear. Celine gently pulled herself out of his hand and glanced around. They were in a dark, narrow passage. The ground was gray, illuminated by Rashir¡¯s blue light, and the ceiling was only a span taller than Leonhard¡¯s head. Except for the pungent stench of a monster, it didn¡¯t feel particularly threatening. ¡°Why¡­ Here¡­¡± ¡°He threw you here.¡± ¡°Leonhard¡­!¡± Even without explanation, she could tell that he had followed her and plunged into the crack. Celine felt a mixture of anger and confusion because he made the worst choice. Still, she should never die wherever she was, so that way, Leonhard could focus on the war against the warlock. ¡°¡­Phew.¡± Leonhard sighed. It was because he was able to guess what the woman who suddenly stopped talking and rolled her eyes was thinking about. ¡°He would have put me here, anyway.¡± ¡°But, Leonhard is strong. Without me, there would be no way you would have walked in here.¡± ¡°That¡­ is true.¡± He felt compelled to nurture his words as he could not deny Celine¡¯s words. ¡°Still, how am I just going to look at you like that without doing anything?¡± ¡°That, too.¡± She mumbled in a slightly resigned tone. How could she blame him? He was just trying to save her. His biggest goal, the warlock, was in front of him. Had it been a couple of months ago, she would have misunderstood Leonhard¡¯s choice. Regardless, she wouldn¡¯t die even if she died. However, why then, did the ruthless villain give up the chance to slay the foe before his eyes for a pointless rescue¡­? Celine would have thought that Leonhard wanted to save himself from the nightmares if it was the old Celine. ¡®¡­Though now, I know.¡¯ If anyone other than her was present, he would have jumped into the crack. ¡®Leonhard¡­ is not a villain.¡¯ During the time she spent at Bernoulli Castle, she was able to see his various aspects. Celine knew. He would be a good lord unless Bernoulli Castle became a ghost castle¡­ ¡®It will never happen¡­ I¡¯m going to stop it.¡¯ She imagined Leonhard in five years and ten years from now. ¡®Before that¡­ I must have cleared the stage.¡¯ Nevertheless, before her thoughts could go any deeper, Leonhard awakened her situation. ¡°I didn¡¯t want you to come because I was afraid of this.¡± His voice was far from a rebuke. ¡°I¡¯m not dead yet.¡± ¡°You¡¯re hurt.¡± Leonhard¡¯s gaze paused for a moment on her head, which she had bumped into, then she turned right to the ground. ¡°Isn¡¯t it better¡­¡­ that I¡¯m hurt?¡± ¡°Because you¡¯re not dead.¡± Because her wounds only healed after death, he sometimes had the eerie thoughts that Celine would commit suicide if she lost an arm or a leg while she was fighting monsters without treatment. ¡°You should have taken the medicine before.¡± ¡°It¡¯s a waste!¡± Celine rolled her eyes. She did not expect that Leonhard, who had experienced the effect firsthand, would say it like this. ¡°Leonhard might get hurt like that in the future. If it doesn¡¯t work, I¡¯ll just die¡­¡± ¡°You can¡¯t¡­!¡± An angry word escaped Leonhardt¡¯s mouth, though she didn¡¯t blink. ¡°It¡¯s true that Leonhard needs it more than I do. Even you wouldn¡¯t take it for this kind of injury.¡± ¡°¡­.¡± ¡°I, too, will take it if I get as injured as Leonhard then.¡± ¡°¡­Promise me.¡± In the end, Celine nodded her head and smiled. As expected, Leonhard was a really nice person. ¡®How did such a good person become so¡­¡¯ Thinking that, one side of her chest tightened. In the graphic in the game, she remembered Leonhard running towards the protagonist with bloodshot eyes. And, she hated him as much as the monsters in the games¡­ Nonetheless, she could not find anything in common with the current Leonhard and Leonhard in the game. ¡°What about Leonhard?¡± ¡°¡­What?¡± ¡°Are you hurt anywhere?¡± ¡°No.¡± ¡°Then, shouldn¡¯t we go out?¡± It was when she took a step forward. Suddenly, the entire passage shook as if an earthquake had occurred. Although her chest dropped, Celine pretended to be calm and opened her mouth. ¡°Is he going to bury us alive?¡± ¡°It can¡¯t be.¡± Leonhard shook his head. ¡°That person does not want to kill you.¡± ¡°¡­.?¡± Celine blinked her eyes. She would be nothing more than a nuisance from a warlock¡¯s point of view. Didn¡¯t the warlock mention that himself? ¡®Ah¡­¡¯ An uncomfortable truth crept into Celine¡¯s mind. ¡°Because he has to use me as a hostage?¡± She hated to admit it. Still, she was now Leonhard¡¯s shackles because she couldn¡¯t use magic. ¡°No.¡± Though he denied it with a sullen voice. ¡°Remember Sir Pavel being manipulated?¡± Goosebumps sprouted all over Celine¡¯s body. How could she forget¡­? A man who lost his life at Leonhard¡¯s hands, making a face that was not his own, and speaking words that were not his own¡­ ¡°He wants to do that, too¡­?¡± ¡°He would use a more terrible number. He¡­ will entice you to be like him.¡± ¡°It will never happen¡­!¡± ¡°Never?¡± A bitter sigh escaped his mouth. He had heard the exact same thing years ago. ¡ªLeonhard, I¡¯ll never be a warlock. Celine looked at him with anxious eyes. ¡°¡­You don¡¯t believe me?¡± ¡°That¡¯s not it.¡± Leonhard was speechless for a while. Perhaps, he just wanted to remain silent, so she just urged him with her eyes. ¡°The wizards¡­ Everyone seeks power. You know how attractive it is, right?¡± ¡°I know.¡± It was because the more she mastered her magic, the more the magical powers flowed through her body, uplifting her and making her feel like an omnipotent god. ¡°What if that power could be made stronger?¡± ¡°I know what you mean, still¡­¡± ¡°You don¡¯t know the power of a warlock until you see it for yourself.¡± He couldn¡¯t quite explain it. The power of a warlock was as powerful as the darkness between stars. No matter how many stars were in the sky, it was like pitch-black darkness that took up more space than that. ¡°The more you use magic here, the more you will be drawn to black magic. Even more so if you use it in front of him.¡± ¡°¡­Is there really nothing I can do?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± It was a lie. He knew only one way a normal wizard could fight a warlock. Nevertheless, he wouldn¡¯t say it. ¡­Maybe, for the rest of his life. ¡°All right. I will not write it.¡± Celine gazed at him, sighing in relief and asked abruptly. ¡°Leonhard, do you know this?¡± ¡°¡­What.¡± ¡°I love my magic. The magic that blows the wind, illuminates the darkness, brings warmth, and creates new things with water and ice.¡± ¡°¡­.¡± ¡°Of course, I can use it to burn something, destroy a structure with strong winds, blind with light, or freeze it to death.¡± At his words, he smiled bitterly because his magic was far from creative. ¡°But, I use it to protect them. Leonhard is the same, right? Your magic can be used for slaughter and destruction. You could be the worst serial killer in history.¡± ¡°I have no reason to commit serial murders.¡± Leonhard replied shakily. ¡°Black magic can be known intuitively that this is power only for slaughter. No matter how powerful it is, there is no way I will ever want it.¡± ¡°Warlocks know all kinds of magic. The person lived over a hundred years. I¡¯m sure there¡¯s a reason to entice an ordinary wizard. Uttering so, he laughed bitterly. ¡°Furthermore¡­ They have their own way of communicating. A wizard who has just become a warlock can¡¯t join, but after a hundred years or so, they will be able to communicate with a warlock across the sea.¡± ¡°¡­.!¡± It was only then that Celine realized how menacing the warlock was. ¡°How do we win?¡± ¡°I don¡¯t know.¡± ¡°¡­There must be a way.¡± Leonhard didn¡¯t say anything. Seeing that, Celine grabbed his hand. Even though he was startled and tried to pull his hand back, she wouldn¡¯t let go. ¡°I am happy to be here with Leonhard.¡± ¡°Why¡­?¡± He couldn¡¯t figure out why. What was the joy of being with a helpless person who couldn¡¯t protect a single person like her? ¡°If I hadn¡¯t been here, Leonhard would have to deal with such a person alone.¡± ¡°¡­Celine.¡± He called out the name of the woman who was shining in front of him softly. ¡°We¡¯ll get rid of that warlock, and we¡¯ll completely get rid of this hundred-year-old monster pit. I can tell.¡± Silence passed, but neither of them felt uncomfortable. An unspoken trust was flowing between them. After a while, an even more intense vibration broke the silence. Celine shook her hair to shake the dirt, though the grains of dirt kept falling. ¡°Why, why are you doing this?¡± ¡°He was trying to force you to use magic. Look at the pattern¡­ He¡¯ll be here in person soon.¡± ©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤ Chapter 35 ©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤ Chapter 35 Celine blinked her eyes. Leonhard¡¯s stern gaze was staring at her. ¡°Remember one thing. Do not fall for it.¡± ¡°Yes.¡± They didn¡¯t say a word in case she became a warlock for different reasons. Celine herself was sure she wouldn¡¯t be a warlock. He knew what he had to do if she became a warlock. Kill her, kill her before she comes back to life, kill her again¡­ Leonhard clenched his teeth tightly. For now, he had no choice but to trust her. ¡®Even if we get past the present, we will become a target in the future.¡¯ His heart ached at the fact that information must have spread all over the world. It was all his fault. It was the result of her jumping on Agathirsus without even knowing it. ¡°Ack!¡± A scream escaped Celine¡¯s mouth. Something hot and squishy was trampled under her feet. Before she could react any other way, a blue light flashed before her eyes, and black blood dripped down her ankles. Leonhard sighed and put Rashir into the sheath. ¡°¡­As expected.¡± ¡°What?¡± ¡°He¡¯ll keep sending these things to test your abilities. And, to induce your magic.¡± He spouted bitterly. ¡°You remember that day? The day you saw the monster for the first time.¡± ¡°Yes.¡± ¡°Though I don¡¯t like it, I guess we¡¯ll have to do it like that day. Just to stick to my back like back then. Never use magic.¡± ¡°It comes up from your feet, too.¡± ¡°I can kill it before it does any harm. Trust me.¡± Celine nodded her head at his words. She didn¡¯t want to hide behind Leonhard, but even more so, she didn¡¯t want to do what the warlock wanted. Eventually, she clung to his sturdy back. His back was a little tense, and Leonhard¡¯s neck was burning red. Blinking her eyes, she thought that he was weaker than he looked. It would be a big deal if he had a sudden fever. ¡°Are you sick?¡± ¡°No.¡± ¡°I think you have a fever¡­¡± ¡°Not at all.¡± She couldn¡¯t even look at his forehead as Leonhard resolutely answered and sneaked away from her. ¡®Well, even if you¡¯re sick, there¡¯s nothing we can do here.¡¯ The healing potion healed the wounds all over his body, though there was no guarantee that it would work on viral diseases. Although she still tried to think of another way, she didn¡¯t have time. ¡ªKuweeek! Suddenly, a massive monster fell from the open ceiling and ran towards them. Celine frowned at the foul-smelling ooze dripping from among the sharp teeth of the giant worm. But, she couldn¡¯t just rely on Leonhard with her eyes closed, as on the day she felt so long ago. It was true that she wasn¡¯t supposed to use magic. Still, even without her magic, she was never the helpless and ignorant woman of that time. Celine leaped and stepped back behind her back. ¡®¡­When I go back, I have to learn the sword.¡¯ Besides the warlock, there would come a situation where she would not be able to use magic. Every time it did, she couldn¡¯t be behind Leonhard¡¯s back as she was now. ¡ªShuuuuk. A goosebumps ran down her spine. From somewhere, she could hear a heavy creature dragging itself on the dirt floor and approaching them. ¡®The head monster¡­!¡¯ A head monster that looked very similar to the one she saw that day was approaching them. As Celine got a little closer, she could tell that she was wrong. It was the head ¡®monsters,¡¯ tangled together like one. The giant worm came, biting each other, wriggling towards them. She barely endured her rising nausea. She must not disturb Leonhard with nausea or anything like that. Nonetheless, she couldn¡¯t just hide behind Leonhard as gracefully as they planned. It was because the maggots attacked, aiming only for her. ¡°Ack¡­!¡± Even though she tried to hold back her scream, Celine couldn¡¯t help the groan that leaked out of her mouth, which kept opening. In the next moment, Rashir flashed brighter than ever. All the worm monsters fell to the floor, showing split cross-sections. ¡°Only the shape imitates the head monster. It seems that he too has a lower base than expected.¡± Unfortunately, Leonhard¡¯s guess was wrong. The monsters in the shape that she never seen appeared endlessly, and they rushed toward only Celine. How long had it been¡­? They stood leaning on each other, covered in foul-smelling black blood. Although no more monsters appeared, the space continued to vibrate, making them a bit dizzy. Celine asked, panting. ¡°Maybe, he wants us to die of starvation after draining all our power?¡± Leonhard¡¯s small laugh was heard. ¡°Some people have tried that.¡± ¡°What¡­?¡± ¡°Of course, it failed. Even the meat of a monster is edible if it is thoroughly roasted.¡± ¡°Le, Leonhard¡­¡± Celine stammered his name. The stench and hideous flesh of the monster would not turn into an appetizing one by roasting it. As expected, his taste was on the tricky side. When she thought of Leonhard, who must have put disgusting meat in his mouth after enduring hunger in solitude, her eyes lit up with tears. On the other hand, Leonhard seemed to have misunderstood her reaction. ¡°No worries. They share information, so they won¡¯t do it again for a wast.¡± ¡°That¡¯s a relief.¡± Celine muttered helplessly. She didn¡¯t have to show pity to Leonhard. ¡°Yes, if I hadn¡¯t starved for a week¡­¡± Leonhard paused his words. It was because the whole ground on which they stood was not at a vibrating level, but began to rise toward the ground vertically. Celine grabbed his hand by surprise. Leonhard¡¯s body was tense and ready to cut down the enemy at any moment. The ground rose at such a speed that she felt a sense of speed, but no fear. Suddenly, a familiar word came out of her mouth that should have been unfamiliar to the locals. ¡°El, elevator¡­?¡± ¡°What?¡± ¡°It¡¯s nothing.¡± As soon as she answered quickly, the movements stopped, and they landed on the ground where the warlock awaited. ¡®Where¡­?¡¯ This was not the tunnel they fell into. It was in a cave where stalactites and stalagmites came into contact with each other to form a straight column. Celine trembled as she clasped her body behind Leonhard¡¯s back. It seemed that all the evil energy that had not been felt for a while was concentrated here. The stench was also getting worse, making it difficult for her to breathe. In the middle of the cave, a huge red pole made of stalactites and stalagmites stuck together caught her eye. A warlock with a beard was staring at them right in front of a blood-red pillar. ¡®¡­No.¡¯ Shaking her body, the warlock¡¯s bloodshot eyes stared only at her. His wrinkled mouth moved slowly. ¡°Don¡¯t you feel powerless? Even though you have power, you don¡¯t use it¡­¡± Celine wanted to cover her ears. From the first words, she was afraid of the words from those who saw her through. Leonhard opened his mouth coldly. ¡°Your jokes are useless.¡± ¡°Ha! Wolf cub, with what confidence do you say that? A wizard would know. The joy that power gives¡­!¡± The warlock¡¯s eyes gleamed strangely. ¡°Young wizard, I do not wish to kill my people. Try the magic. Then, I will get you out safely.¡± Celine did not respond. Meanwhile, Leonhard also stiffened his body for a while but didn¡¯t say a word. Silence engulfed the entire cave. They stared at each other and didn¡¯t do anything or say anything. It continued for a while until the whole cave in which they were standing shook. ¡°¡­.!¡± The one who was astonished was the warlock. ¡°This is¡­!¡± Leonhard did not miss the moment when the warlock¡¯s tight concentration was cut off. He shouted at Celine to get away from him, and threw his body forward, swinging Rashir. ¡ªKuaduduk! The warlock was nowhere to be seen, and a gray bat flapped its wings and plunged into his arms. Leonhard immediately turned Rashir into a dagger and struck the bat. The moment Rashir touched the gray bat, the bat turned into a giant snake and wrapped around him. His right arm, which had grabbed Rashir, twisted under the pressure. Still, he did not let Rashir go until the end. ¡ªHurr! Blue flames flowed through Leonhard¡¯s whole body. The body of the serpent that imprisoned him did not move, but the red eyes shrank as if in agony. He then transformed Rashir into a great sword and pierced it into the snake¡¯s body. The snake¡¯s body, cut in half, fell to the floor. However, this was only a tail cut. The next moment, a huge gray wolf appeared in the place where the snake¡¯s head was. It was only slightly similar in shape to the wolf commonly seen in the north. Instead of soft fur, it had thorns that were sharp enough to tear the skin just by rubbing it. The wolf, which showed its monstrous teeth in a vicious manner, rushed toward him. Leonhard avoided the wolf¡¯s attack with his smooth movements while aiming at its red eyes with Rashir. Nonetheless, it was not easy to poke the eye while avoiding the thorns, teeth and claws. His left arm, which had already been studded with thorns, was numb and dangled helplessly below his shoulders. Leonhard made a cold judgment while the heavy body of the wolf pressed him down. The drug that Celine had discovered seemed to be able to heal any wound easily. Regardless, his left arm was difficult to use in battle, so if he gave up his left shoulder and used a dagger to transform Rashir and stab its eyes¡­ He was not a hesitant person. At that, Leonhard immediately moved boldly and aimed at the wolf¡¯s head. Naturally, there was a loophole in his left arm, which could not move, and the wolf rushed to bite the joint where the left shoulder and neck were connected. He was concerned about the coming pain and side effects and erased it from his mind and aimed only at the wolf¡¯s eyes. There was not even the thought that Celine would grieve over his injury left in his mind. ¡ªBang! An explosion sounded. The stalactites on the ceiling shattered and began to fall towards them, flashing flashes of light in the dim cave. The wolf turned its head slightly to avoid the enormous blood-colored stalactites falling on its head. It was as short as the flapping of a hummingbird¡¯s wings, though it was enough for Leonhard. Rashir turned into a rapier and pierced the wolf¡¯s left and right eyes. In the next moment, the eerie wolf disappeared. Only the old man who had been pierced by Rashir and vomited black blood was wriggling on the floor. ©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤ Chapter 36 ©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤ Chapter 36 ¡°Celine!¡± ¡°Hahaha¡­!¡± A scream escaped Leonhard¡¯s mouth, and a maddened laugh erupted from the old man¡¯s mouth. Celine just stood there nailed to her spot. ¡­She used magic. The magic that Leonhard told her not to use¡ª! As her heart raced incessantly, she noticed something strange. Leonhard said that if she used her magic, she would be strongly drawn to the black magic. But now, her whole body was stiffened, overwhelmed by fear. ¡®This person is going to die¡­¡¯ It was Leonhard¡¯s Rashir who mortally wounded it, though her magic was the root cause of his death. Of course, she knew there was nothing wrong with her head. This old man was a warlock, and he must have killed countless people. ¡­Or, induce their death. Besides, when Leonhard killed Sir Pavel, who he thought was a warlock, he wasn¡¯t too shocked. However, a sense of rejection and fear that could not be explained by reason dominated Celine. Just then, the old man¡¯s bloodshot eyes flashed, and he lifted his head high. He raised his head and glared at Celine, as she wondered where the strength remained in the body that had been pierced by Rashir. Celine took a step back. The old man¡¯s eyes were full of pain and joy. ¡°Yes, that was it!¡± And then, he stopped breathing. ¡°¡­.!¡± Celine¡¯s eyelids began to tremble. It wasn¡¯t because of the vague words the old man just uttered. The old man¡¯s long beard and white hair fell out in clumps, and all of the flesh began to melt. Even though she wanted to run away from the sight before her eyes, her legs felt like stones, and she couldn¡¯t do anything. At that moment, Leonhard¡¯s cautious voice was heard. ¡°¡­Are you okay?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± Celine nodded her head. ¡°I don¡¯t think you need to worry. I¡¯m not attracted to black magic at all, no, the magic itself¡­¡­.¡± She couldn¡¯t keep up with her words. Still, she couldn¡¯t tell him what she was feeling right now. ¡­She doesn¡¯t think she can use magic anymore, she felt afraid and disgusted with magic. ¡°The magic itself?¡± ¡°It¡¯s nothing.¡± Nevertheless, Leonhard was not a person who skipped over important issues. ¡°¡­What were you trying to say?¡± She gazed at Leonhard with anxious eyes, and she barely opened her mouth. ¡°No, it feels dirty. I¡¯m afraid¡­ I even feel like I can¡¯t use magic anymore.¡± To Celine¡¯s surprise, Leonhard¡¯s face, which had sharpened teeth, immediately loosened with relief. He remembered the omens of wizards who were tainted with black magic. They pursued more and more magic, more and more power, though they did not feel any resistance to magic. ¡°¡­I know. Because I was as well.¡± ¡°Leonhard, too?¡± ¡°Yes. It was a long time ago.¡± She couldn¡¯t help but be surprised. ¡®It was a long time ago¡­¡­ ?¡¯ Leonhard was twenty-four. To say that it was a long time ago, how old was he¡­? Despite that, Leonhard did not give any further explanation, and she did not dare to ask any further questions. ¡°There is no need to force yourself to use magic. After all, the warlock has collapsed, so I have no problem with the rest.¡± He inadvertently pointed to the remnants of the warlock, which now appeared only to be lumps of filth. ¡°Oopphh¡­!¡± Soon after, Celine¡¯s face went pale and she began to vomit. At that, he quietly supported her. ¡°You better get out.¡± ¡°I feel so weird.¡± Celine involuntarily grabbed Leonhard¡¯s right arm and stood up, then noticed the condition of his left arm. ¡°Leonhard, take the medicine and go.¡± ¡°Save it.¡± ¡°Leonhard!¡± ¡°Isn¡¯t it precious? As you said earlier, you should save it.¡± ¡°¡­.¡± Leonhard was not wrong. The stages of [ Celine¡¯s Nightmare ] became more and more difficult, so it was right to save the healing potion. Eventually, Celine walked carefully, paying attention to his left arm. Although their return was long and bumpy, the evil spirit had faded away, and it was much more tolerable. The tension in her body slowly relaxed. Until suddenly, a horde of monsters appeared¡ª ¡°¡­.!¡± They were insignificant compared to the monsters she went through today. If it had been yesterday, or even half a day before, she would have burned them down in an instant. However, she was now afraid to even summon her magic to use it. ¡°They¡¯re small fries. I¡¯ll take care of it soon, so sit down and rest.¡± Celine had no choice but to nod her head as she felt so pathetic. How much effort had she put in all this time? Nonetheless, all her efforts and achievements were in vain in an instant. ¡®No. Leonhard also overcame it.¡¯ Celine glanced down at her own hands, which had been stained with dirt and monster blood. ¡®It will be fine. I will ask Leonhard how he overcame it, and¡­!¡± She could feel the breath of a monster right behind her back. It was because she was so engrossed in her thoughts that she didn¡¯t notice the monster that broke away from the group and came to aim for the weaker side. Celine immediately turned her body to unleash her magic, but all she felt was nausea. ¡ªChaeng! The sound of something breaking reverberated all around her. ¡°Celine!¡± Leonhard, who had killed all the other monsters, suddenly ran and blew the neck of the monster that attacked Celine. ¡°Where, where are you injured! Go, take the medicine¡­!¡± ¡°I¡¯m fine.¡± He did not trust those words for the first time and examined every nook and cranny of her body. Fortunately, Celine looked a little dazed and bewildered, but she didn¡¯t seem to have been hurt by the monster a while ago. ¡°How¡­?¡± Instead of answering, she pulled something out of her pocket. Leonhard¡¯s eyes widened. The crystal ball, the size of a fist she had never seen, was split into several pieces. ¡°What is this?¡± Saying so, he carefully touched the surface of the crystal ball. It looked transparent on the outside, but the inside was invisible, suggesting that it had some sort of magic. ¡°Carl Lute would not deal with a crystal ball.¡± The crystal ball was the property of the prophets. After hearing the ominous prophecy against himself, Grand Duke Bernoulli, in great anger, expelled all the prophets out of the North, so it may not have come from the North. Instead of answering, Celine looked at the pieces of the crystal ball. ¡°¡­.!¡± Inside was a crumpled piece of parchment paper. Celine hurriedly unfolded the piece of parchment. There was only one sentence written on the ivory parchment. [ Find the southern tiara. ] ¡°Ah¡­¡± A groan escaped from Celine¡¯s mouth. The ivory parchment, old-fashioned typeface, and even the stains on the corners were all familiar to the eye. A rare quest window. [ Celine¡¯s Nightmare ] was a game in which all you had to do was clear the stage without a quest. Despite that fact, there were times when the stage was so difficult that the player did not even know how to clear it. Whenever that happened, a quest window like this would pop up. It was announcing that the second stage of the true ending route was not easy from the start. ¡°Celine.¡± Leonhard¡¯s calm voice was heard. Celine slowly raised her head. ¡°Can you please explain?¡± ¡°¡­.¡± Celine couldn¡¯t help but hesitate. In the meantime, she had been glossing over actions that would only be seen as surprising to Leonhard. In fact, she could do that enough now. ¡®I just picked it up from the tower¡­¡¯ Even if she refused to explain it, Leonhard wasn¡¯t the one to force. ¡®¡­Still, I can¡¯t always do this.¡¯ Celine remembered the various stages in the game. There were many stages that could not be seen from the North or the Imperial Capital. In the true ending route, even if the stages were consolidated, they would have to stop by most of them. Every time Leonhard was around her, she could do nothing herself. ¡°¡­You might think I¡¯m crazy.¡± ¡°Celine.¡± Leonhard gazed deeply into the blue-gray eyes that shook anxiously. His heart trembled at the realization that the shaking was caused by the distrust of him. ¡®¡­Does Celine still think I would doubt her?¡¯ Whatever her answer may be, he wouldn¡¯t be suspicious if she herself believed it. ¡°You are the strongest person I have ever seen¡­ Far from madness.¡± ¡°¡­.¡± Suddenly, a sad look appeared in Celine¡¯s eyes. Leonhard felt that he had made a mistake in his words, so his heart was pounding, though her words were heard immediately. ¡°¡­You know, I dream of the future.¡± ¡°Okay.¡± ¡°Through that dream, I learned how to get out of the curse on me.¡± ¡°Isn¡¯t that the mansion last time¡­?¡± Leonhard¡¯s brow furrowed slightly. ¡°Yes. After that, I had another dream. The dream of getting this crystal ball¡­¡± ¡°How did you get it?¡± ¡°Remember the key I found in the mansion back then?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± ¡°Wandering around Tofin, there was a keyhole that fit the key.¡± ¡°Did you see that in your dream, too?¡± ¡°¡­Yes.¡± ¡°And, now this?¡± ¡°Until here¡­ I don¡¯t know.¡± His head hurt. Up until now, Leonhard, of course, thought that Celine had only dreamed of the future when she was in the mansion. However, had she been dreaming lately? If she hadn¡¯t told him she had a dream similar to his own nightmare¡­ ¡°¡­The dreams, is it very difficult?¡± ¡°No, no!¡± Celine widened her eyes. ¡°That¡¯s because I¡¯m dreaming like an ordinary dream that doesn¡¯t feel difficult emotions or pain¡­¡± ¡°That¡¯s a relief.¡± There was sincere relief in Leonhard¡¯s voice. He stared at Celine with a more relaxed expression. ¡°I thought your dream almost never came true.¡± ¡°There are a lot of things that came true.¡± Celine answered lightly but then realized that her own dream, as Leonhard would have thought, was mostly a dream in which he killed her. She then spoke hastily, ¡°Everything about Leonhard is wrong! It only applies to curses. There are a lot of things wrong with that.¡± He pondered for a moment. Even though he had always thought that all of the prophets were half crazy or swindlers¡­ Yet, Celine wasn¡¯t either of them. Of course, he wasn¡¯t very trusting when she said that everything about him was completely wrong, but she seemed right about the curse. ¡°It doesn¡¯t sound crazy.¡± ¡°Really¡­?¡± ¡°And, as in that mansion, if there is anything I can help, I will help.¡± ¡°¡­.!¡± Celine¡¯s blue-grey eyes widened and watered from the excitement. ¡°Le, Leonhard¡­¡± Leonhard was about to ask why, and bit his mouth. He wasn¡¯t foolish enough to know that the tears that glistened in Celine¡¯s eyes were tears of joy. The next day. Libron Castle has been upbeat since morning. ©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤ Chapter 37 ©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤ Chapter 37 It was because the news spread that Agathirsus had been destroyed by Leonhard Bernoulli in just one day. Even the officials who had been reported by Leonhardt¡¯s messenger did not believe it. ¡°Nonsense!¡± ¡°But, Young Grand Duke Bernoulli must be¡­¡± ¡°When he tried it in the past, didn¡¯t they say that he came out half-dead?¡± ¡°That was a few years ago.¡± ¡°I need to send the knights to check right away¡­¡± ¡°You have to think about the case where it isn¡¯t that. If the elite knights are lost, who will protect the Royal Capital when the Young Grand Duke is in the north?¡± ¡°The Young Grand Duke is not a liar.¡± ¡°It¡¯s not that he¡¯s lying, it¡¯s that he may be delusional.¡± Officials, who had been arguing all morning, grew louder when they heard that Leonhard Bernoulli was coming to visit the Emperor. It wasn¡¯t just the officials. From the Imperial Family to the servants doing the chores and the maids, everyone in Libron Castle couldn¡¯t stop talking about Leonhard. As a result, when he and Celine arrived in front of the castle where the Emperor¡¯s audience room was located, a cloud-like crowd gathered. ¡°Why is everyone there?¡± Celine was a little intimidated. She knew, at least, that Leonhard was a celebrity. ¡®¡­And, also the hero of this Empire.¡¯ She wouldn¡¯t have been worried if it had been a crowd like celebrity fans, with cheers resounding with every gesture. However, all the crowds were now just staring at Leonhard and her with curious gazes. ¡°I don¡¯t know. But, it won¡¯t be a big deal.¡± Leonhard had experienced this kind of crowd several times. Most recently, it was several months before meeting Celine. He had arrived at Libron Castle, seriously injured. Crowds of all ranks gathered in curiosity to learn that ¡°the Leonhard Bernoulli¡± had been injured. Celine still looked puzzled. ¡°Still¡­¡± ¡°It¡¯s common.¡± He carefully pulled Celine towards him and, ignoring the onlookers, entered the center of Libron Castle, the Daniel Palace. Fortunately, the audience room was not far from the entrance of Daniel Palace. The two stopped for a moment in front of the enormous door of the audience room. ¡°Wouldn¡¯t it be better for me to wait here?¡± Although Celine asked one last time, he shook his head. At that moment, the door to the audience room opened from the inside. Upon entering, the knights directly under the emperor lined up from the gate to the throne. Leonhard knelt down on his knees a fair distance from the throne. It had been a few years since he had formally attended an audience with the Emperor, but the audience room was as familiar as his hometown. ¡°Leonhard, son of Frederick, greets Your Majesty.¡± Celine¡¯s eyes widened. The Emperor, who seemed only solemn, descended from the throne and raised Leonhard. ¡°Come on, get up. Are you all right?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± ¡°It was a lot of trouble.¡± ¡°I just did what I had to do.¡± The Emperor, with his pale gray hair and a face wrinkled from adversity, gazed at Leonhard for a moment. ¡°I heard about it from Ricardo. It was rude.¡± ¡°I made a big mistake with my wrong judgment. I apologize.¡± The Emperor shook his head with a somewhat sad look on his face as he opened his mouth again, ¡°¡­No, Ricardo.¡± ¡°Yes¡­?¡± ¡°You just followed my orders. For Ricardo to treat you that way is to rebel against me.¡± ¡°¡­.¡± Leonhard didn¡¯t show any particular reaction and bit his mouth. A long sigh escaped the Emperor¡¯s mouth. ¡°He is the son who will succeed me, so I can¡¯t dispose of him, but¡­ I want to give you enough rewards.¡± Leonhard bowed his head at his words. ¡°I¡¯m honored.¡± ¡°Ask succinctly. What do you want? You¡¯re the heir to the north, but it wouldn¡¯t hurt to have a territory in the south or east. Say anything if you want a position¡­ Or, do you want the wealth of the Imperial Family?¡± ¡°Everything I asked for was given by His Highness Ricardo.¡± ¡°I knew you would say that.¡± The Emperor beckoned to the chief attendant, who had been holding a small box from the moment they entered the audience room. The chief attendant approached slowly and opened the box. Even without much light, a dagger flashed in a rainbow of colors. ¡°Your Majesty!¡± Leonhardt shouted in embarrassment. ¡°This¡­¡± ¡°Accept it.¡± The Emperor¡¯s voice was firm. Leonhard fell to his knees. He couldn¡¯t accept it. It was because the name of the dagger that flashed in front of him was ¡®Ringzor¡¯ ¡ª one of the seven treasures of the Imperial Family. ¡°You¡¯re going to be the Grand Duke in the future. Unwanted territory and positions would only become burdens, though. Can¡¯t you just carry a small dagger with you?¡± Leonhard swallowed dry saliva. It was not just a mysterious dagger in appearance. Ringzor, a concentration of pure magic, became a powerful magic tool when placed in the hands of a magic swordsman or wizard, and a powerful weapon when placed in the hands of ordinary people. In the meantime, only the Imperial Family who proved their strength through force or magic could receive the Ringzor. ¡°I have Rashir.¡± The Emperor stared at him strictly as if not to put on more. ¡°It is an order. Take it.¡± Eventually, Leonhard received the Ringzor with both hands. The dagger, as beautiful as a jewel and as light as a feather, was powerful even when used by ordinary people. ¡°I will serve Your Majesty for the rest of my life.¡± The dagger vibrated faintly in Leonhard¡¯s hand. Seeing that, a faint smile appeared on the Emperor¡¯s face. ¡°I think the sword can do enough even in the North.¡± ¡°I will make the best scabbard worthy of the Ringzor.¡± No scabbard made by the best craftsmen could withstand Ringzor for long. Therefore, it was a tradition for the Imperial Family to make the scabbard. In fact, there was no need for a scabbard for Ringzor, so there were quite a few imperial families who carried them without a scabbard at all. The Emperor¡¯s gaze, who seemed satisfied, reached Celine, who had her head bowed all the time. ¡°Lute Celine. Raise your head.¡± Celine blinked in surprise that the emperor knew her name. ¡°The wizard by Leonhard¡¯s side. Your existence alone is already a big deal.¡± ¡°¡­Thank you.¡± ¡°Please, continue to do your best to help.¡± ¡°Yes¡­!¡± The Emperor again turned his head to Leonhard, ¡°Let¡¯s have a banquet in honor of you. It will be the biggest banquet of all time.¡± ¡°I¡¯m honored.¡± Finally, the Emperor returned to his throne. The attendant shouted loudly that the audience was over, and Leonhard and Celine greeted the Emperor politely and then quickly walked out of the audience room. As soon as he got on the carriage returning to the hotel, Leonhard took Ringzor from his arms. ¡°Is it a magic sword?¡± ¡°No.¡± ¡°Then¡­?¡± He placed Ringzor into Celine¡¯s hand instead of answering. Her blue-gray eyes widened in an instant, and her eyelids trembled in disbelief. ¡°This in itself is magic.¡± ¡°Yes.¡± Leonhard sighed. ¡°Even a person with no magical powers can kill dozens of people in an instant with just this.¡± ¡°If you use it with Rashir, it will be incredibly powerful.¡± Leonhard shook his head. ¡°Rashir is enough for me.¡± ¡°It is a treasure of the Imperial Family. Are you planning to keep it in the North?¡± ¡°No. This is what you will use.¡± Celine¡¯s mouth widened. ¡°¡­Me?¡± ¡°Yes. Of course, it takes a lot of training. However, once you master it, you don¡¯t need to use magic. Don¡¯t you feel it?¡± ¡°¡­.¡± Leonhard was right. The moment she held the Ringzor in her hand, Celine could feel the magical energy swirling in her hand. Magical powers have always been part of her and flowed like her blood through her body. However, the magical energy emanating from Ringzor was like an unfamiliar beast. ¡°Still, His Majesty, to Leonhard¡­¡± At that, he shrugged his shoulders. ¡°I¡¯ve already been given a gift, but how do I use it? Besides, when I die, it is a sword that belongs to the Imperial Family. Don¡¯t be burdened.¡± ¡®It¡¯s more burdensome¡­!¡± Nonetheless, Celine could understand Ringzor¡¯s necessity all too well. To her, who couldn¡¯t cast magic right now, Ringzor would be the best lifeline. ¡°Really¡­ Thank you.¡± Taking Ringzor back, he then put it in his arms. ¡°It¡¯s dangerous to carry it with you until you master it.¡± ¡°How long will it take?¡± ¡°A week at the most.¡± ¡°Yes¡­?¡± Celine pondered for a moment whether Leonhard was overestimating her or whether Ringzor was not as dangerous as she thought. ¡°Even if you can¡¯t use magic, the sense doesn¡¯t disappear. Since I¡¯ve seen your skills, I¡¯m sure.¡± Her face turned red. ¡°¡­It¡¯s nothing compared to Leonhardt.¡± ¡°That¡¯s right. Sadly.¡± ¡°Leonhard!¡± The smiles did not leave their faces until they got off the carriage that arrived at the hotel. ¡°Lute Celine!¡± ¡°Danny!¡± Exactly two days later, Danny arrived at the hotel with a mountain of luggage. Celine clasped her warm hands and then poured out her questions. ¡°How are you? Anything dangerous? Oh, it was so nice to have Danny.¡± ¡°Lute, you did a really great job. Agathirsus!¡± Danny exclaimed in an excited tone. ¡°It was Leonhard who destroyed Agathirsus.¡± ¡°It is wonderful to be alive¡­ or perhaps¡ª¡± ¡°I didn¡¯t die.¡± Celine answered quickly. Danny¡¯s face immediately relaxed, feeling relieved. She continued her words, ¡°Though I was really surprised. At best, I thought you would just get the Lord away, but you went to Agathirsus.¡± ¡°Are you worried a lot? Sorry.¡± At her question, she shook her head. ¡°You did a great job, what can you be sorry for?¡± Celine hesitated for a moment at Danny¡¯s twinkling eyes. ¡®I have to tell her¡­¡¯ The words that she could no longer use magic did not come out of her mouth. Nevertheless, it was a fact her escort maid, Danny, had to know. ¡°Danny.¡± ¡°Yes?¡± ¡°For the time being I¡­ I don¡¯t think I can use magic.¡± ¡°Lute¡­!¡± Danny¡¯s face turned white. Although Celine forced a smile, her face hardened as she replied, ¡°Don¡¯t worry too much because it seems temporary.¡± ¡°That, though¡­¡± ¡°Anyway, I think Danny will suffer a lot more than before. I apologize in advance.¡± She thought it would be better to talk to Danny after she mastered the Ringzor. ¡°Lute¡­!¡± Danny¡¯s eyes reddened, and she added. ¡°I will protect Lute even at the cost of my life.¡± ¡°Hey, don¡¯t be like that. Because Danny¡¯s life is the most important thing.¡± Celine hurriedly resisted her suicidal ideas. ¡°By the way, what are all these things?¡± It had been quite some time since Danny arrived, and the porters were still in and out of the cabin. ¡°Ah, I was informed that there was an imperial banquet for Lord and Lute. You have to prepare everything.¡± Her eyes widened. ¡°Then, this is all for the banquet¡­?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± Answering so, she laughed triumphantly. ¡°Whatever you expect, I will show you more.¡± ©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤ Chapter 38 ©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤ Chapter 38 The porters carefully removed the luggage and all the belongings. Danny supervised them and arranged all the accessories and clothes in perfect order. ¡°Hey, Danny.¡± Celine asked cautiously when things had been sorted out enough for Danny to breathe a little. ¡°Why are there so many clothes?¡± ¡°Because the Lord said you would go to the South.¡± ¡°¡­.!¡± After she returned from Agathirsus, she never spoke with Leonhard about the quest [ Find the Southern Tiara. ] However, it seemed that he had noticed the words on the parchment in the short span of time. ¡®Leonhard¡­¡¯ Now, how could she express her gratitude to him, who seemed that just saying thank you was never going to be enough¡­? While Celine was deeply engrossed in her troubles, Danny urged her. ¡°Lute, you have to get ready.¡± ¡°Isn¡¯t the banquet tomorrow?¡± ¡°For Lute¡­ You are like a general coming home from a victory. You have to shine brighter than anyone out there!¡± ¡°What about Leonhard¡­?¡± ¡°He will take good care of himself. He likes to sit in events like this.¡± ¡°Leonhard does?¡± Blinking her eyes in surprise, it was something she had never heard before. ¡°The Lady said so.¡± She wondered if Natasha was saying something to tease Danny, although she didn¡¯t say anything. She then led Celine to an empty room full of clothes and accessories, saying that she should choose the outfit that suits her best today. ¡®¡­.?¡¯ The dress Danny brought to her was a thin sky-blue dress. It looked more like a light summer dress. As soon as she had finished putting on the dress, Danny approached with a dress that looked similar to what she had just worn. Nevertheless, it was different in that it was pink. ¡°Shall I take it off?¡± ¡°No. You must wear it over it.¡± ¡°What¡­?¡± Despite the fact that Celine was a little skeptical, she meekly complied with her request. Immediately, Danny approached with another similarly shaped dress. This time it was purple. ¡°¡­Hopefully, there is nothing else other than this, right?¡± Danny answered with a puzzled face. ¡°I have two more.¡± ¡°¡­.!¡± She tried to refuse at first, but Celine gave in to her plea that she should wear it only once. Finally, she wore all five dresses. Although it was a little heavy even though it was all a light dress, she had no trouble moving. ¡°Try to move.¡± Celine turned her body little by little. ¡®Ah¡­¡¯ The color of the dress, which was only hazy, changed every moment. From sky blue to green, from green to yellow, from yellow to sky blue again ¡ª All the colors were covered with silver and shone brilliantly. ¡°It¡¯s really¡­ pretty.¡± ¡°Right?¡± Danny laughed triumphantly. ¡°It was originally the Lady¡¯s idea. They said they made it for her a few months ago, though she made a concession for you.¡± ¡°Natasha¡­¡± Come to think of it, it was Natasha¡¯s taste that all the dresses were light and pastel tones. ¡°How hard it was for the seamstresses to fix it to fit Lute¡¯s body shape in one day.¡± Danny didn¡¯t start touching her hair until after deciding which of the five or six shawls would best match the dress. Three hours later. She came to admire Danny for creating over a dozen hairstyles with her own shabby hair. ¡°Can¡¯t we get some rest now? I think I¡¯m going to die of exhaustion.¡± Even though she looked very sad, when she saw Celine¡¯s face, who seemed to collapse at any moment, Danny took a step back. ¡°Please, go and rest.¡± As soon as Celine entered the bedroom, she fell asleep. The next afternoon. Celine got into the carriage, exhausted. She thought the important thing had already been done the day before, and she would go to the banquet hall after she got dressed. Regardless, the hairdresser Danny brought worked on her hair and face for hours. ¡°Your complexion looks bad.¡± ¡°I¡¯m just tired.¡± Leonhard gazed at her with a worried expression in the chair opposite of hers inside the carriage. ¡®As expected, he¡¯s handsome¡­¡¯ It may be true that Natasha said he liked banquets, but it was certainly true that he knows how to dress well. Well, even if he couldn¡¯t wear it, there wouldn¡¯t be a problem. Didn¡¯t it look like he was going to shine even when he wears rags¡­? Eventually, they reached the entrance to the banquet hall. Even though there was no attendant who called them out like in the movie, the moment they stepped into the banquet hall, everyone¡¯s eyes were focused on them. Leonhard asked gently. ¡°Are you nervous?¡± ¡°No.¡± ¡°That¡¯s a relief. Because when it gets difficult, I¡¯ll go back right away.¡± ¡°Is it possible¡­?¡± After all, she died countless times. There was no way for her to be so nervous at a banquet just to celebrate the destruction of Agathirsus. Leonhard first approached the Crown Prince, who was staring at them. ¡°Your Highness Ricardo, have you been well?¡± ¡°¡­I heard you were injured, but I¡¯m glad you look healthy.¡± ¡°Thanks to the doctor you sent me.¡± The doctor directly under the imperial family returned without even touching the wounds suffered by the monster, yet Leonhard did not blink an eye and lied. ¡°Okay then, please enjoy it.¡± It seemed like the Crown Prince wanted to end the conversation with him as soon as possible. And so, Leonhard bowed politely and left with Celine. ¡°He does not look happy at all.¡± Looking at the situation, it was normal for the Crown Prince to feel unhappy because Leonhard and Celine destroyed Agathirsus at his command. There was only one person in this empire who would make such a prince feel bad. ¡°His Majesty seems to have said something.¡± Leonhard replied in a nonchalant tone, then picked up a glass from the servant¡¯s silver tray and handed it to Celine. ¡°Isn¡¯t that alcohol?¡± ¡°It is. Is there any problem?¡± ¡°No.¡± Celine inhaled. Since they didn¡¯t have to go kill the monster today, a few drinks should be fine. ¡°Is it good?¡± It had a delightfully sweet soda flavor that was hard to believe it was alcohol. ¡°I know this is also an imperial monopoly.¡± She then frowned. ¡®It¡¯s hard to believe that only the imperial family can make something so delicious¡­ If I copy it, will they even cut my neck?¡¯ Soon, the band started playing the first song she had ever heard. Unlike the solemn songs she heard mainly in the North, it was quick and light. At that moment, a man in fancy clothes approached them. ¡®He seems to have something to say to Leonhard.¡¯ With that thought, Celine unconsciously took a step back. Nevertheless, the man caught her. ¡°Lady, would you like to dance a song with me?¡± ¡°¡­.?¡± She was so perplexed that she opened her lips for a moment. Naturally, she knew nothing about the dances of the world here. She had no desire to learn because she sprained her foot while dancing and could die. ¡°Sorry. It¡¯s only been a few days since I got out of Agathirsus, and I¡¯m very tired.¡± ¡°Oh, I see. I was short-minded.¡± The man apologized and walked away. Eventually, Celine let out a sigh. ¡°You don¡¯t like dancing?¡± ¡°I can¡¯t dance.¡± Leonhard¡¯s face, which she suddenly looked up at, had a somewhat pleasant expression. ¡®It was true that he liked banquets¡­¡¯ Celine gazed curiously at the men and women who started spinning round and round as she drank more of the liquor. She felt good when she looked at the men and women dancing in colorful clothes. ¡®Are there any snacks or side dishes?¡¯ As she was looking around for something to eat, someone walked through the crowd and came to them. It was a young woman who had dark circles under her eyes, and a tired-looking face somehow reminded her of old Leonhard. The woman quickly said hello. ¡°Lord, Lute. Congratulations.¡± This time, it seemed that it was an acquaintance of Leonhard. ¡°Lady Anita, long time no see. How have you been? Young Count Sharpe, are you in good health?¡± ¡°My father passed away. Now, I am Count Sharpe.¡± ¡°¡­.!¡± Leonhard¡¯s body stiffened. Count Sharpe pretended to retreat and spoke in a low voice. ¡°I¡¯ll see you in the lounge.¡± Count Sharpe disappeared into the crowd in an instant. ¡°¡­I¡¯m sorry, but we¡¯d better go to the lounge right now.¡± Celine nodded her head slightly and ambled to Leonhard¡¯s side. In the middle, to those who asked if she was already leaving, she said with a smile that she had to take a break because she was tired. The common room consisted of several small rooms for private rest. It hadn¡¯t been long since the banquet started, so it didn¡¯t feel like there was a presence. ¡°Count Sharpe?¡± Leonhard asked loudly. As the door opened cautiously, they entered the room. ¡°Did Lute come, too?¡± When Count Sharpe looked a little startled, he answered quietly. ¡°Isn¡¯t it something we should listen to together?¡± ¡°¡­I guess so.¡± Count Sharpe nodded his head and added, ¡°I will tell you right away. Without the support of the Lord within a week, there will be no life left in Sharpe.¡± Leonhard questioned in amazement. ¡°Aren¡¯t Sharpe¡¯s knights famous for their skills¡­?¡± Count Sharpe¡¯s eyes reddened. ¡°Don¡¯t even the Lord know that the most outstanding people have been summoned to the Imperial Palace?¡± ¡°Then, a request for assistance¡­¡± ¡°Do you think we are fools? I did it countless times!¡± A sharp scream escaped Count Sharpe¡¯s mouth. ¡°My father lost his life to send me to the Lord!¡± ¡°¡­It was a slip of the tongue. I apologize.¡± Count Sharpe immediately hardened his face and continued his word. ¡°I will tell you clearly. His Highness the Prince obviously received a request for support. But he ignored it.¡± ¡°¡­.¡± ¡°I think the Lord is well aware of the reason.¡± Leonhard nodded his head. Years ago, the former Count Sharpe refused to sell the Imperial Family a human-sized magic stone from his own mine. This seemingly insignificant incident has grown to the point of isolating Count Sharpe from the entire Empire and slowly withering to death. In the end, the former Count Sharpe dedicated his elite knights to the Emperor. Although it was concluded, the Imperial Family did not forget the grudges at that time. ¡°You¡¯d better leave right away.¡± ¡°Thank you very much.¡± When Count Sharpe bowed his head politely, Leonhard hurriedly got to the point. ¡°Go ahead. Perhaps, Marquis Buckken is still¡­?¡± ¡°It¡¯s still not a good relationship. The survivors are taking refuge in Baron Veron¡¯s estate.¡± ¡°Well then, I¡¯ll see you at the Baron¡¯s estate.¡± As soon as Count Sharpe left the lounge, he let out a long sigh. ¡°I knew it was going to be soon, but I didn¡¯t know it was going this way.¡± ¡°Yes¡­?¡± ¡°County Sharp is one of the representative families of the South. And, the seven mines in Count Sharp¡¯s estate are called the Southern Tiaras.¡± ¡°¡­.!¡± __ Thank you so much for always supporting the novels I work on, even if you don¡¯t buy me a coffee, I really do appreciate it a lot. ?? ©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤ Chapter 39 ©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤ Chapter 39 Celine remembered the fourth stage. In a generally somber atmosphere, the mines sparkled with gems everywhere. She had never seen anything similar to ¡®Southern Tiara¡¯ throughout the game, though if the name of the mine itself is ¡®Southern Tiara,¡¯ it made sense. ¡®By the way, it wouldn¡¯t be too difficult, would it¡­?¡¯ The existence of the quest itself meant that the difficulty of the stage was considerable, so it shouldn¡¯t be quite frightening. Nonetheless, seeing that it gave hints to the fourth stage, it seems that the quest for the ¡®True Ending¡¯ served as a milestone like other ordinary games. ¡°It takes three days to get to Sharp. In the meantime, you¡¯d better get used to Ringzor.¡± ¡°I can.¡± Celine replied confidently. Even though she still got a lot of nausea whenever she tried to cast her own spells, she had no problems handling Ringzor with Leonhardt¡¯s kind guidance. ¡°By the way, can I take Danny with me?¡± She had never taken Danny to a monster hunt. Although her skills as a handmaid and escort were outstanding, it was because she lacked a lot to deal with monsters. Still, she had already been separated from Danny once. Danny would be very upset if she went down to the South without a word. ¡°No.¡± Leonhard shook his head. ¡°If you want to save her, it would be right to leave without a word.¡± ¡°¡­.¡± Celine remembered Danny¡¯s smiling face wishing her a good time at the banquet and saying it was a pity that she couldn¡¯t go with Celine. But, the most important thing was Danny¡¯s safety. ¡°I have to write a letter and go.¡± ¡°I see¡­ And, those clothes, aren¡¯t they uncomfortable to move around in?¡± She understood the meaning of Leonhard¡¯s words. ¡°Yeah. Though it¡¯s Natasha¡¯s clothes¡­¡± ¡°If you use one of those things on the way back, I won¡¯t be angry. Now we have to leave as soon as possible.¡± At his words, she nodded her head. ¡°I¡¯ll have to ask them to send your luggage straight to the South. Order your escort maid to wait here.¡± Celine picked up the paper and pen from the break room and started writing a letter to Danny. ¡°Oh, I¡¯m alive!¡± Baron Veron shook hands with Leonhard looking like he was about to fall flat on his face at any moment. ¡°The Lord came¡­ I thought I was going to die now!¡± ¡°I will leave right away. Please prepare clothes and good horses for Lute Celine.¡± Leonhard did not bring Black to the South because it would shorten its lifespan. Meanwhile, Celine was guided by the maid and changed into comfortable clothes. In the middle, Lou stuck its head out of her sleeve. ¡°A dragon¡­?¡± The maid groaned and muttered. ¡°It won¡¯t bite.¡± Saying so, she said in a light tone like saying ¡®My dog ??doesn¡¯t bite,¡¯ though the maid seemed more frightened. ¡°Well, does it breathe fire?¡± ¡°No. Because it¡¯s a baby, it usually sleeps.¡± In fact, since she was no longer able to use magic, Lou spent most of its time sleeping. Celine was worried that she would have affected Lou¡¯s health with the fact that she had made herself incapable of using magic, but she feared that she couldn¡¯t help it now. After a while, they reached the entrance to Castle Sharp. ¡°¡­.¡± Celine¡¯s body trembled in the eerie aura. When she had just arrived in the South region, the cold had subsided and she even felt that it was early spring. Nonetheless, as she got closer to Castle Sharpe, a chill that was worse than the snow in the north pierced Celine. The gates were wide open as if it was pushed from the inside out. ¡®Was it the people who ran away?¡¯ Celine was bitter and set her foot in Castle Sharp. ¡®¡­.¡¯ The most gruesome scene she had ever seen unfolded before her eyes. ¡°This, this is¡­¡± There were times when she fell into a trap in the mansion and died with her intestines pouring out. There had even been times when hundreds of monsters that emit a foul odor have been killed. She even watched the warlock transform before her and melt into filth. But, Celine was seized by the urge to run out of the scene in front of her more than ever before. Corpses, with every part of their body savagely bitten, were scattered wherever she looked¡­ All with their faces contorted in pain. ¡°They are all dead.¡± Feeling an indescribable relief from Leonhard¡¯s voice, she shivered. ¡®No¡­ Let¡¯s not get it wrong.¡¯ He may have just been worried that there might be patients who could not be saved with the medical technology of this level. Only the sound of their footsteps resounded in the castle where all life had been drained. Celine stared horribly into the hallways stained with dark bloodstains and the remnants of battle. Suddenly, a monster pierced a hole in the ceiling and fell. ¡°¡­.!¡± Without panicking, Celine calmly took Ringzor out of her arms and swung it. At her fingertips, she felt the familiar flow of magical power. The next moment, a trident made of ice was created and accurately embedded in the body of the monster. ¡°You did well.¡± ¡°Because I practiced hard.¡± When she first used Ringzor she was very bewildered by the flow of the magic, as if it was running wild on her own, like an unbridled horse. If she used her magic directly, it flowed through her own body, so it could be easily manipulated. However, Ringzor felt like she had to control the rampaging beast with just her right hand, which held the hilt. And, perhaps because of the nature of the sword, she could only use attack magic. ¡®Though where is this?¡¯ Soon after, other monsters fell from the ceiling. Leonhard did not lift a single hand but watched her slay the monsters one by one. Flames circled Ringzor, and they flew toward the monsters as arrows. Even though it wasn¡¯t as powerful as her original magic, it was enough to slow the movement of monsters. Celine aimed at the monster¡¯s head with Ringzor. ¡ªSlash! Dozens of ice blades were stuck in the heads of different monsters, and the monsters all fell to the floor and convulsed. The black blood flowed profusely and touched Celine¡¯s feet. ¡°¡­Whoo.¡± Ringzor was powerful. Nevertheless, the magic was not comparable to that of her but it was much more efficient for detailed killing. ¡®If I practice more, it will be of great help to my magic.¡¯ Celine turned to Leonhard. ¡°I improved a lot, right?¡± ¡°¡­Celine.¡± She heard Rashir being pulled out of its scabbard and felt unpleasant moisture on her back. Closing her eyes tightly and opening them, she turned around. The cost of her mistake would be unfolded before her eyes. ¡°Make sure they are dead.¡± ¡°I¡¯ll keep that in mind.¡± It was the first time she had dealt with monsters using Ringzor, so it was difficult to get a sense of whether they were definitely dead. Celine turned her body again. There, the monsters that Leonhard had completely cut in two were all around her. He then glanced at the hole in the ceiling. The upper floor was visible through the hole. ¡°We had to go over there.¡± She involuntarily raised her hand and tried to build an ice ladder up to the hole as her shoulders drooped helplessly. ¡°It¡¯s all right.¡± ¡°But¡­¡± ¡°You can walk. Arriving a little slower doesn¡¯t mean anyone is going to die.¡± Leonhard¡¯s words softened her hardened face a little. ¡®Yes. Let¡¯s not think too negatively.¡¯ First of all, as long as she could use Ringzor somewhere. If Celine hadn¡¯t had this, she would have been stuck as his burden. ¡®You must come to your senses.¡¯ With that thought, she tightened her right hand, which was holding Ringzor. They quickly reached the upper floor. However, even here, they only meet a few small monsters, and there was no trace of the boss monster to be found. ¡°Maybe, it went out of the castle¡­?¡± Leonhard shook his head. ¡°It can¡¯t be.¡± ¡°Then, where¡­¡± ¡°At least, it¡¯s definitely in here because they never give up the castle they have occupied.¡± ¡°Why?¡± ¡°They seem to feel a sense of security in the structure.¡± A existence of destruction and slaughter that clings to man-made structures. It felt contradictory, but it was a reality that Celine had to solve right away. They went up and down the stairs and kept looking for the boss monster. ¡°Gasp¡­¡± Celine sighed heavily as she leaned against the wall. ¡°Tiring?¡± ¡°A little bit.¡± She realized how much the magic had played a role inside her while passing through her body. When it was cold, it warmed up her body, and she didn¡¯t know she would miss so much taking shortcuts when traveling somewhere. ¡°You have to get used to it.¡± ¡°¡­.¡± Leonhard stopped beside her without a word. He couldn¡¯t figure out how to comfort her. It would be a burden to say that soon she would be able to use magic again. Still, Celine said she would get used to it¡­ Because it meant she would never use her magic back. Just then, the wall on which she was leaning vibrated. ¡°What, what?¡± ¡°There must have been a secret passage.¡± Leonhard mumbled as if he wasn¡¯t too surprised, and he ripped right through the wall where he felt the vibrations with Rashir. An empty passage appeared. And, at the end of the passage¡­ ¡®¡­Sea urchin?¡¯ The boss monster that looked like a giant sea urchin was trembling with thorns. ¡°Why is it there?¡± ¡°Perhaps, it¡¯s grown so big that it¡¯s trapped¡­¡± It was then that Leonhardt thrust his head into the passage. ¡ªKuakuang! The boss monster smashed the passage with a terrifying force and started moving towards them. ¡°You said it was trapped?¡± ¡°Looks like it was just resting.¡± Leonhard casually fixed Rashir. In the next moment, countless horns of the boss monster were broken all at once, revealing the bald skin. ¡ªWhiirr! As Rashir¡¯s blue flames filled the passage, he stood motionless, with his right arm outstretched and aiming at the entrance to the passage. After a few seconds, a huge mass engulfed in flames rushed at him. ¡ªStab. Rashir pierced the fireball. Black liquid ran down his arm and covered Leonhard¡¯s whole body. When Rashir was removed, the heavy body of the boss monster fell to the floor. After taking out the stiff core of the boss monster, he turned towards Celine. ¡°Let¡¯s go.¡± They didn¡¯t want to stay in this harrowing castle for even a moment. Everyone staying at Baron Veron¡¯s residence rushed out as soon as they heard the heavy door open. ¡°Lord!¡± ¡°Lord¡­!¡± The disturbance was only settled when Count Sharp ordered them to be quiet. Leonhard, whose black blood was still dripping from his upper body, opened his mouth. ¡°Count Sharp, the boss monster has been defeated. Now, you can take the rest of the knights in with you.¡± ¡°Thank you very much. The County will never forget the help of the Lord.¡± The next moment, Leonhard pulled an object the size of a fist from his arms. The object that looked like a black, hard stone had an eerie red glow upon closer inspection. ¡°This¡­ Isn¡¯t that the core of the boss monster?¡± ¡°Originally, it belonged to the imperial family, but I came here regardless of the Imperial Family. Use it to rebuild.¡± Count Sharp shook his head. ¡°Lord can take it.¡± At the Count¡¯s words, he smiled bitterly and replied, ¡°What do I need this for? Instead, please give me a request.¡± ¡°Say anything.¡± ¡°I want you to give me a permit to enter all the mines in Sharp.¡± __ ©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤ Chapter 40 Chapter 40 ¡°Of course, I will!¡± Count Sharp¡¯s face brightened. ¡°Whatever you bring with you, you can think of it as belonging to the Lord. Because you saved Sharp.¡± * * * They set off the next morning as soon as the sun rose. The mine was located quite far from Baron Veron¡¯s estate. It was only after riding a full day on horseback that they reached the entrance to the first mine. ¡°This is the Southern Tiara you were looking for.¡± ¡°Southern Tiara¡­¡± Celine skilfully jumped off her horse and looked around. The mine was located on the hillside, so the vast County estate could be seen at a glance. Even from a high place, she could see the traces of a group of monsters scratching farmland and private houses. Turning and observing the entrance to the mine, she felt as if an abyss was lurking in a long, magical tunnel. ¡°Shall we go in?¡± Leonhard nodded his head, pulled out Rashir, and lit the darkness of the tunnel. Then, they walked silently in the dark. ¡®¡­A stage, right?¡¯ Celine remembered the fourth stage. Occasionally, there were gems that glowed in the dark and twinkled, but it was not in such a dark tunnel. However, if it was the stage, there had to be something about it that would threaten her. In particular, the fourth stage¡­ ¡°What?¡± Leonhard stood still. ¡°What¡¯s wrong¡­?¡± ¡°Something is following us.¡± ¡°Is it a monster?¡± ¡°I don¡¯t think so.¡± The enemy of the fourth stage was a threat in the dark whose identity was never revealed. If caught, the player would die in the dark in various brutal ways. Celine thought for a moment. ¡®¡­Let¡¯s face it.¡¯ After all, both she and Leonhard have powers. Nevertheless, her concern for Leonard, if it was not a monster, struck her heart. What if it wasn¡¯t a monster but a terrifying being in this world he didn¡¯t know well¡­? ¡®And, if we fight against it rather than being chased like in the game, we may not be able to achieve the clear conditions.¡¯ She then grabbed Leonhard¡¯s arm. ¡°We better go quickly.¡± After a while, Celine could feel the presence of something pursuing them in the dark. ¡®¡­.¡¯ Goosebumps swelled up. Clicking on the black monitor evoked the horror of running away from an unknown enemy with the eerie music. Even though Rashir illuminated the darkness, she could only see a few steps ahead of them. The presence was felt not far from them. ¡°That thing, it¡¯s controlling its speed.¡± She remembered when she was in the fourth stage when the enemy she chased after a player suddenly slowed down. It was saving power, and then it suddenly attacked the player. For her, she didn¡¯t get the timing right¡­ How many dead endings did she see? ¡°¡­Run.¡± At that, they ran through the tunnel at full speed. The being followed them at a very slightly slower speed. A cold sweat ran down the back of Celine¡¯s neck. Suddenly, a presence was felt a few steps behind her back. ¡®I have to run faster.¡¯ Her breath caught in her throat, but she couldn¡¯t use magic to blow sweat into the wind or interfere with the pursuer. However, if she asked Leonhard to face it, the stage may not be cleared. Celine ran like crazy, hoping she wouldn¡¯t die from running too fast. Finally, they reached a corner that she could recall. Just before turning the corner, she saw a small wooden door tied with a chain with a lock. ¡°Are we going in?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± Leonhard immediately struck the chain with Rashir. ¡ªCreeaakk. The wooden door opened with a creepy sound. ¡®There is a chest¡­!¡¯ Seeing it, she quickly ran to the door and opened the chest. An ordinary-looking dark green robe appeared. If she covered herself with this robe, the pursuer would no longer pursue them. ¡°Leonhard!¡± ¡°¡­.?¡± He looked bewildered at Celine, with the robe draped over her head. The next moment, she moved closer to Leonhard and lifted the robes. ¡°Cover it together.¡± ¡°What are you talking about?¡± ¡°Come on!¡± Celine didn¡¯t wait for his answer as draped the hem of the robe over his head. It was large enough to cover the player¡¯s head to toe in the game, so there was no shortage of using it for two people. ¡°Now, let¡¯s go.¡± ¡°¡­.?¡± Celine grabbed Leonhard¡¯s arm and urged him. For a moment, his body stiffened, but he did not refuse. He was drawn to her and meekly walked out of the door. ¡°The presence has disappeared.¡± ¡°It¡¯s because we¡¯re covered in this.¡± ¡°Did you see this in your dreams, too?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± Although Leonhard looked like he had a lot to say, he didn¡¯t say anything further. They turned the corner and continued on the passage. ¡®It¡¯s warm.¡¯ A small smile appeared on Celine¡¯s face. As she walked with him in the chilly cave, covered in the robe, her body gradually became warmer. Involuntarily, she leaned lightly against Leonhard¡¯s body. ¡®¡­.?¡¯ Suddenly, he stumbled. ¡°What¡¯s wrong?¡± ¡°Oh, nothing. I can¡¯t see well because of the robe¡­ Can¡¯t you take it off?¡± ¡°No. Even if it makes you uncomfortable, be patient.¡± ¡°¡­Okay.¡± After that, he hesitated a few more times, and each time he gave the robe as an excuse. ¡®It looks quite uncomfortable.¡¯ However, right now, clearing the stage was the most important situation. How long has it been¡­? ¡®Finally!¡¯ The blue-gray eyes filled with joy as a fresh outside wind blew in from afar, and the sun shone at the end of the passage. At last, the passage was finally over, and they were freed from the beast of an invisible threat. She only needed to walk a little more. A little more walk, and through this passage¡­ But, the moment she reached the end of the tunnel, Celine¡¯s face was distorted. A deep blue lake stretched out endlessly in front of them. It was the fifth stage. Leonhard¡¯s bewildered voice was heard. ¡°I wonder if there was a place like this in Sharp.¡± ¡°It came out of my dream.¡± ¡°¡­You¡¯re not normal. When I return to the north, I will hire you as the official prophet of my family.¡± Celine couldn¡¯t even laugh at his joke. It was because she saw a yellow boat on the shore not far from them. ¡°Should we ride this across?¡± Leonhard slowly approached the boat. ¡°No!¡± She exclaimed. ¡°Why?¡± ¡°If you ride it, you die.¡± ¡°¡­.¡± He took a few steps back from the boat. Seeing it, Celine sighed in relief. Of course, Leonhard is the villain in this game, so he wouldn¡¯t die as easily as her, but it was just in case. ¡°Then, we have to go back¡­¡± ¡°No.¡± Celine licked her lips. ¡°We have to go across it. Swim.¡± Leonhard looked a little startled. ¡°It¡¯s doable. The fish will try to bite off the flesh, and the seaweeds will try to tie your ankles and drown you.¡± ¡°I don¡¯t think it¡¯s a big deal.¡± Although Leonhard replied as if it was no big deal, she couldn¡¯t erase his anxiety. ¡°You have to be really, really careful here.¡± ¡°Haven¡¯t we passed places that seem more dangerous so far smoothly?¡± Celine answered quickly. ¡°Because it was a particularly terrifying dream.¡± The fifth stage was a place that could be cleared only by controlling the arrow keys properly. Nonetheless, she was not very flexible on her own. The only thing she could trust was Ringzor. Celine took a deep breath. ¡°Leonhard, I¡¯d rather be the only one passing through this lake.¡± ¡°Why?¡± When he reacted somewhat sharply, Celine bit her lip. Even Leonhard himself wouldn¡¯t be immediately convinced. ¡°It¡¯s too dangerous. You could die or get hurt¡­¡± ¡°So, you mean just watching you die?¡± ¡°It doesn¡¯t matter because I will come back to life! But, if Leonhard dies or gets hurt, that¡¯s the end of it!¡± ¡°Celine.¡± It felt like her heart had stopped. Like the deep sea, the blue eyes looked deep into her. ¡°It doesn¡¯t matter. It doesn¡¯t matter to you or to me.¡± ¡°However¡­¡± ¡°And, I want you to trust me. There¡¯s nothing I can do about it if I¡¯m not reliable because I don¡¯t have the talent to come back from death.¡± ¡°¡­.¡± She had nothing to say because Leonhard pinpointed the biggest reason she didn¡¯t trust him. Celine let out a sigh. ¡°Let¡¯s go together. Instead, be careful not to get hurt. I¡¯ll force you to open your mouth and pour out the medicine if you¡¯re only a little hurt.¡± ¡°Who¡¯s talking?¡± He wanted to do some research before going into the water. She then watched as he put Rashir into the water. A faint smile appeared on Leonhard¡¯s lips. ¡®¡­Why does he look good?¡¯ By the time she realized something was strange, she was already one step behind. ¡°Leonhard.¡± The whole lake bubbled and became like a steaming hot spring. Celine watched anxiously as the dead, man-eating fish floated over the boats. ¡°Leonhard, this is¡­¡± ¡°As long as you feel it¡¯s dangerous, it¡¯s enough to eliminate the risk factor.¡± Saying so, he slowly pulled out Rashir. ¡°I can feel the poisonous species that are still surviving. Still, the number would have been much lower. It¡¯s cooled down to the right temperature, so you can go right in.¡± ¡°¡­Thank you.¡± She could barely regain her composure. Come to think of it, there wasn¡¯t much change from the game. There were still some man-eating fish that survived, so she had to cross the lake to fulfill the condition. ¡ªSplash! Celine took a deep breath in her and then plunged into the bottomless lake. Unlike the game in which the lake water was described as cold enough to freeze to the core, Leonhard set it to an appropriate temperature and kept it warm. It almost felt like bathing in a hot spring. ¡­Unless there was not the man-eating fish that rushed to bite her. Celine wielded Ringzor, and she caught the man-eating fish that ran at her one by one. All of the man-eating fish were quick and difficult to snipe at due to their small size. Though thanks to using Ringzor, she was able to handle them with ease because she was well versed in detailed magic. ¡®If I had used normal magic instead of Ringzor, I might have been bitten sooner¡­¡¯ It wasn¡¯t long before she got to the point where she couldn¡¯t hold her breath. ¡°Huwah!¡± Celine climbed to the surface, took a deep breath, and then she dived again. Actually, she wanted to swim, but if she did, her lower body would be bitten by man-eating fish. As she climbed up to the surface a few times and she came back down, her eyes could see a small island of sand. ¡®It¡¯s over there¡­¡¯ Now, she had the energy to get excited. She barely climbed onto the sand island. ¡®¡­.!¡¯ There was no reward for clearing the fifth stage that she remembered. Instead, there was a tiara, which was more gorgeous than any jewelry she had ever seen, lying on the sand. It was studded with diamonds, rubies, sapphires, emeralds, amethysts, and opal grains and sparkled brilliantly. Celine recognized a dark red stone that shined brighter than any other jewel in the middle of the tiara. It was a magic stone. Chapter 41 Chapter 41 Celine carefully picked up the tiara. If this was the ¡´ Southern Tiara ¡µ, then it meant that she completed the quest. Leonhard suddenly came closer to her. ¡°It looks like the southern tiara.¡± ¡°I don¡¯t know.¡± Celine answered honestly. According to her memory, when the quest was completed, unlike the stage clear, no special event occurred. However, there was only one red line in the quest that had already been completed. ¡®Ah¡­!¡¯ The next moment, she pulled a piece of the parchment out of the pocket, and a sigh of disappointment escaped her mouth. The letters on the parchment had not changed at all from when she first saw them. ¡®It¡¯s just that the lines aren¡¯t drawn. Maybe, the quest has already been completed¡­¡¯ She wasn¡¯t sure where she was right now. ¡°Should we go back now?¡± ¡°No.¡± The moment she gave a confident answer, the sandy island they stood on shook. At that, Leonhard¡¯s eyes widened, but Celine simply sat quietly on the sandy island. After a while, the sand island began to sink into the lake. ¡°Celine!¡± ¡°It¡¯s okay.¡± He was terrified of Celine¡¯s calm voice, but he soon knew why. There was a transparent barrier around them and the sand island, so no water came in. The sand island continued to sink into an abyss with no end in sight. At that moment, he gazed intently at Celine, now succumbing to fatigue and dozing off. It would have been difficult for him not to lose composure in this situation if it hadn¡¯t been for her calm attitude, no matter how self-conscious he was. ¡®When I get back, I¡¯ll have to investigate the prophets.¡¯ Finally, the sand island landed on the hard ground with a dull sound, and Celine woke up. Her tiny lips moved, and she uttered words Leonhard couldn¡¯t quite believe. ¡°We¡¯re almost there.¡± ¡°Almost there¡­?¡± As soon as Leonhard blinked his eyes, he knew that she was right. It was because of the yellow sunset light was pouring dazzlingly, and the sound of a mountain bird was chirping from somewhere. At first glance, a sloping dirt road could be seen through the thick branches of the trees. They were on the hillside, the entrance to the tunnel. ¡®How did this happen¡­¡¯ No one in the entire Empire had ever experienced as many magic-related events as he did. But, the last couple of months of getting to know Celine had been the most bizarre times of his twenty-four years of life. ¡°Let¡¯s get down.¡± From Celine¡¯s hand, the tiara shone brilliantly in the sunlight. *** When they arrived at the Baron¡¯s residence, Count Sharp had already left with the rest of the knights to his castle. ¡°Would it be okay?¡± Celine was a little worried. No matter how much they defeated the boss monster and all the monsters they found, there may still be some monsters they hadn¡¯t discovered. ¡°County Sharp is a family famous for being strong against monsters from generation to generation.¡± ¡°A place like that, how¡­¡± Leonhard looked sad. ¡°Unhappiness happens to everyone.¡± She agreed to that. In fact, she herself was a representative example of that. Even if she was used to this life where she could neither cry nor laugh, sometimes, when she thought of the ordinary life of the past, Celine felt like she wanted to die. ¡®¡­No, let¡¯s not think about it.¡¯ It was not like she could die just because she wanted to die, anyway. Meanwhile, Leonhard seemed to have misunderstood her sudden depressed mood. ¡°Don¡¯t worry. As long as you are always¡­¡± His words were cut off as soon as he heard footsteps echoing from across the hallway. Baron Veron, who received the butler¡¯s report, ran towards them with a heavy body. ¡°Lord¡­!¡± ¡°Did something happen?¡± ¡°Oh, of course not. It is all thanks to the Lord who protected us.¡± At that time, Baron Veron, who had always had the momentum to lie flat on the floor, jumped up. Even if it wasn¡¯t, the big eyes, like those of a cow, seemed to get bigger and pop out. ¡°Lu, Lute¡­?¡± ¡°Yes?¡± Celine asked, a little bewildered. ¡®What¡¯s wrong with this person all of a sudden?¡¯ Baron Veron pointed his trembling hand to the tiara on Celine¡¯s wrist. ¡°This, this is¡­¡± ¡°It was found in the mine.¡± Leonhard cut off his words sharply enough that it was a little too much as Baron Veron¡¯s eyes now really pop out and half-hung in the air. ¡°The mine, really¡­?¡± ¡°Then, you think I¡¯m lying?¡± ¡°Oh, no way I. How dare I¡­ Lord, do you know what exactly this tiara is?¡± ¡°I do not know.¡± ¡°This¡­¡± Baron Veron rubbed his hand. ¡°I¡¯m not sure if I can tell you this. I¡¯ve to report to the Count first¡­ No, you have to tell the Count himself¡­¡± ¡°Exactly what is it?¡± Leonhard, unable to bear it, asked succinctly, ¡°Tell me right now. As the Baron knows, I¡¯m busy. Whether or not there are any monsters left in the Baron¡¯s estate, enough to leave for the north right now.¡± Cold sweat was forming on Baron Veron¡¯s forehead at his words. ¡°Well, then, please promise me this one thing. If Count Sharp is angry, protect me.¡± Hearing that, his face, which had hardened so far, loosened a little. ¡°Count Sharp will not be angry. Didn¡¯t you prove this time that you are his loyal vassal? Count Sharp is not one to put a knife in the back of a loyal vassal.¡± ¡°¡­.¡± Baron Veron rolled his eyes for a moment as if uneasy, but he slowly opened his mouth. ¡°Do you know how many mines there are in Sharp?¡± ¡°Seven?¡± ¡°But, a total of six that people can go in.¡± A brief moment of silence passed between them. ¡°¡­Why can¡¯t one be entered?¡± ¡°Because the door won¡¯t open.¡± ¡°You mean the mine is closed with a gate¡­?¡± ¡°Yes. It is a door made by magic.¡± Baron Veron quickly shrugged off his remaining explanation as though he wanted to end this conversation as soon as possible. ¡°About forty years ago, it¡¯s said that a certain wizard had a grudge against Count Sharp and blocked a mine. Wizards came from all over the world, but no one could open it.¡± ¡°It must have been unfortunate for the County. Still, what does that have to do with this tiara?¡± Baron Veron lightly touched the tiara in Celine¡¯s hand with his fingertips, and he continued, ¡°Six different gems¡­ A dark red magic stone is embedded in the center. This is the only key that unlocks the door to that mine.¡± ¡°I see, so this is¡­ It was the key.¡± Celine muttered blankly. Although she cleared the fourth and fifth stages, she was disappointed because no matter how long she waited, the music indicating that the stage was cleared did not play. Though as she listened to Baron Veron, she had to clear another stage to be able to clear the second stage of the ¡®True Ending.¡¯ ¡®¡­I don¡¯t like it.¡¯ The reduction in stages also meant that the clear rewards were reduced. So, Celine decided to cherish the healing potion in her arms even more. Baron Veron continued with an anxious expression. ¡°I¡¯m telling you this in detail because Count Sharp has declared that whatever comes out of the mine belongs to Confucius.¡± ¡®Ah¡­¡¯ Celine suddenly realized. Baron Veron¡¯s shock wasn¡¯t simply because she was able to open a mine that had been blocked for decades. It was because he was afraid that a mine might fall into the hands of the Grand Lord. Then, she glanced up at Leonhard. ¡®¡­He¡¯s blatantly offended!¡¯ Leonhardt didn¡¯t frown at all, but dark cloud-like energy drifted through his eyes. ¡°¡­Northerners do not covet wealth. Of course, I¡¯ll open the door to the enchanted mine, and the mine should belong to Count Sharp.¡± ¡°Lor, Lord¡ª!¡± Baron Veron looked like he wanted to bite off his own tongue, which made Leonhard¡¯s heart more uncomfortable. Seeing that, Celine eventually took a step forward. After she confirmed that the Baron¡¯s gaze was completely on her, she bowed her head slightly, ¡°Thanks for the detailed explanation. Thanks to that, I was able to get a good idea of ??what kind of tiara this tiara was. Had it not been for the Baron, I would have never known.¡± ¡°Lute Celine¡­¡± Tears welled up in Baron Veron¡¯s big eyes. At that moment, Leonhard spoke in a voice that seemed more disturbed. ¡°I don¡¯t think it¡¯s something to discuss with the Baron. When will Count Sharp return?¡± ¡°They say he¡¯ll be here by noon tomorrow at the latest.¡± ¡°¡­.¡± He seemed to want to run to Sharp Castle with her on his horse at any moment. To be honest, he would have been if Celine hadn¡¯t been about to collapse from exhaustion. Her condition was so bad that she almost fell asleep on the horse. It was suicidal to run the horse to speak with Count Sharp while she was in this state. ¡°I have no choice but to wait for Count Sharp. Can I borrow a room?¡± ¡°Oh, of course. The room you used yesterday was decorated to suit the Lord.¡± Moments later, Leonhard reached the second-best bedroom in the Baron¡¯s residence, supporting Celine as she leaned on him. Originally, Baron Veron was going to give him his own room, though Leonhard refused. Consequently, he had the bedroom of the successor. As soon as he entered the bedroom, he smiled in ridicule. There were no traces of the old-fashioned but modest room he stayed in last night. Baron Veron seemed to think that sincerity should be seen as gathering all the precious materials left in the Baron¡¯s mansion. There were three huge white tiger skins on the floor, and rare winter flowers that only exist in the south were decorated everywhere. And, what about the luxurious furnishings that would have been brought from the many Baron¡¯s residence¡¯s rooms¡­? ¡®Well, sincerity is not bad.¡¯ Leonhard thought bitterly. It was far better for him to try to reciprocate than to take his help for granted and sometimes bothered him, although he did not discriminate between the two sides. Wherever his help was needed, he ran to wherever that needed help and cut down monsters and warlocks because that was the only life he knew. At that moment, the door opened and the Baron¡¯s handmaid came in. ¡°I, I will take Lute to her room.¡± Gazing down at Celine, who had already fallen asleep on the soft bed, he replied, ¡°It¡¯s fine. I¡¯m afraid she¡¯ll wake up. Let her sleep here.¡± ¡°But the Lord will sleep in this room¡­!¡± ¡°I¡¯ll sleep here, too. So, it¡¯s okay, isn¡¯t it?¡± ¡°¡­What?¡± ¡°Is something wrong?¡± Asking that, he stared at the handmaid blankly. ¡°No, no¡ª¡± The handmaid answered in a voice that seemed to have lost her soul, and she left the room as if half-running. Finally, there were only two of them left in the room. Chapter 42 Chapter 42 ¡°Celine¡­¡± Leonhard murmured softly, stroking her golden hair with his fingertips. A woman who felt like she was going to crumble if he gave in a little more strength. She was actually a woman who easily lost her life¡­ However, a woman stronger than anyone else in the world was sleeping peacefully next to him. He had been thinking about the embarrassment that surged up for a while. More than anything else in the world, protecting Celine became his number one goal. It was clearly wrong, and it was the kind of emotion that had to be cut out. Leonhard said that if the moment came when he had to cut anyone, he would cut whomever it was ¡ª even if it was family¡­ But, he felt as if he couldn¡¯t if it was Celine. ¡®Why am I¡­¡¯ Even though he pondered until the sleepiness attacked him, he still couldn¡¯t find a clue. * * * Count Sharp came to Celine and Leonhardt as soon as he heard the report from Baron Veron. ¡°Show me.¡± As Celine carefully pulled the tiara out of her arms, Count Sharp looked closely, taking care not to let the tiara fall out of her hand. ¡°That is the right tiara.¡± ¡°How are you sure?¡± Count Sharp smirked. ¡°The Baron was quite frightened, but it¡¯s not really a big secret. It¡¯s a tiara that all the older estate civilians remember. It was originally a treasure handed down from generation to generation.¡± ¡°Didn¡¯t the wizard make it himself?¡± ¡°Where can a single wizard get such fine jewels?¡± Count Sharp¡¯s long, white fingers pointed to the jewels one by one. ¡°These diamonds are the twin gems of the crown of the Empress. This sapphire was even nicknamed the tears of the sea. The emerald is¡­¡± Leonhard couldn¡¯t take it any longer and cut him off, ¡°Well, how did such a treasure become a magic tool?¡± ¡°Because of this magic stone.¡± Count Sharp pressed the dark red magic stone in the middle of the tiara. ¡°Originally, this spot was a gem that was going to be mined someday. But the wizard forced the magic stone into it.¡± Hearing that, Leonhard nodded his head. If it was Count Sharp¡¯s finances, he would have mobilized so-called wizards, but now, he understood that no one had been able to unlock the seal. The wizard had hidden the entire seal of the mine by driving it into this magic stone. ¡°Was it a warlock?¡± ¡°I don¡¯t think it was.¡± He was relieved. It was because if the magic contained in this magic stone was black magic, he may have to destroy the entire tiara himself. Then, the mine would be closed forever. ¡°I¡¯ll give you back the tiara. Though can we take the magic stone and take it with us?¡± Count Sharp¡¯s eyes widened. ¡°Of course, I was going to give out the entire tiara. However, if you take out the magic stone and insert the jewel to complete the tiara, it won¡¯t be the same. I¡¯m thankful for the offer.¡± Leonhard immediately paused for a moment to pull out the magic stone. There was a high probability that the entire tiara would be destroyed if he took out the magic stone with Rashir. Thinking that, he glanced at Celine. ¡°Is it possible with Ringzor¡­?¡± She was fiddling with Ringzor with her left hand. The slight vibration of the magical power was felt with her fingertips. Celine felt that she had improved her skills by leaps and bounds over the past few days. Nonetheless, she felt a lot of pressure to deal with the treasures passed down from generation to generation. ¡°I think it will be difficult.¡± Count Sharp must have regretted it, but he did not express it. ¡°It¡¯s okay. As long as you open the mines, the tiara is the rightful possession of the Lord and Lute.¡± They exited the meeting room and passed through a large banquet hall crowded with refugees. The next moment, an old woman they saw for the first time blocked their way. She was an old woman with scattered white hair and wrinkles all over her face. The old woman raised her trembling hand and pointed at them. ¡°Cursed!¡± While Celine was just stunned, Count Sharp¡¯s face immediately contorted. Meanwhile, Leonhard stared at the old woman who stood in front of them with an unreasonable look. ¡°Ominous! Don¡¯t take a single step out of this place. The sky will fall!¡± ¡°Grandmother¡­!¡± A young man with a bluish face jumped out from among the refugees and hugged the old woman, ¡°Lord, strike me on the head instead!¡± Count Sharp seemed to recognize the young man. ¡°Calik. How did this happen?¡± ¡°She¡¯s the one who raised me. She has been out of her mind for a long time, so please forgive her¡­!¡± ¡°I won¡¯t. It¡¯s a common occurrence.¡± Leonhard waved his hand and hurried out of the banquet hall. Count Sharp caught up with him and hurriedly opened his mouth. ¡°Lord, on behalf of the whole county, I apologize.¡± ¡°You don¡¯t have to.¡± ¡°Still¡­¡± ¡°Why would I care about a lunatic¡¯s words?¡± ¡°¡­Thank you for your understanding.¡± Count Sharp swept his chest in surprise. It was a famous fact that Grand Duke Bernoulli had expelled all the prophets who were the prophets of the north. However, Leonhard seemed more understanding than his father. He sent them off, hoping that there would be no other mad prophets who would go against Leonhard¡¯s heart. After a few hours. They arrived at the sealed mine. As Celine rode her horse, her mind was bubbling to ask what the word ¡°common¡± meant. Regardless, Leonhard looked unhappy so she did not take it out of her mouth, and they reached the entrance only having a casual conversation. The entrance to the mine was blocked by a huge rock. Glancing around the rocks, she then took out the tiara. ¡°I think it can be easily destroyed with Rashir.¡± ¡°It¡¯s not that easy to see. I have the key, so let¡¯s go safely.¡± Celine nodded her head and pulled the tiara out of her arms. However, as she was about to bring the tiara to the rock, the scream she had heard a few hours earlier echoed in her ears. ¡°Cursed!¡± At that, she turned back. The old woman who had cursed and pointed at them was approaching them, gasping for breath. Celine noticed something odd about her. Apparently, in the banquet hall, they thought that the old woman said Leonhard was cursed. It was the same with Count Sharp and the young man named Calik. Although the old woman pointed straight at her. ¡®¡­It¡¯s not me.¡¯ In an instant, Celine realized. It was neither she nor Leonhard whom the old woman said cursed¡­ It was the tiara in Celine¡¯s hand. ¡°Ominous! If you use it, heaven and earth will get angry and bury you guys!¡± When the impatient Leonhard was about to step out, Celine took one step closer to the old woman. ¡°You mean this, grandmother?¡± As she carefully lifted the tiara, the old woman trembled. ¡°Bury, you have to bury it in the ground¡­throw it away¡­¡± ¡°Wouldn¡¯t it be better to just ignore it?¡± ¡°Wait.¡± This was in the game. There was always a reason for a character who kept appearing in front of the player while saying strange words. Of course, she had never seen such an old woman in the game. Though it could be a character that only appeared in the true ending route. ¡°I have to break that seal.¡± ¡°No¡­!¡± Suddenly, the old woman rushed towards her with a terrifying force. Leonhard immediately pulled Celine behind his back. ¡°Get out of the way!¡± The old woman screamed while she fell to the floor. ¡°Crazy people! Do you not know what that is?¡± ¡°It¡¯s a mine?¡± ¡°That¡¯s the devil¡¯s lair. There¡¯s a monster that will kill you and your family!¡± ¡°¡­.!¡± Celine¡¯s eyes widened at her words. If there was another stage here, the old woman was telling the truth. ¡°Grandmother, how do you know that?¡± ¡°¡­I saw it with my own eyes, with these eyes.¡± ¡°Yes?¡± Instead of answering, the old woman ran towards Celine again but was hit by Leonhard. ¡®What should I do¡­¡¯ Celine bit her lip. In the game, the characters acted on their own and gave the player direction. But, as she turned the game into a reality, she must think and act for herself. ¡°Grandma, I will unseal the seal.¡± ¡°¡­.!¡± The old woman now began to yell with a hoarse throat. ¡°So, please tell me. What should I do to avoid being killed by the monster?¡± ¡°None. There is no other way!¡± ¡°It will be. Don¡¯t you know?¡± The old woman¡¯s eyes blazed with anger, ¡°You don¡¯t have to open that!¡± ¡°Celine, wouldn¡¯t it be better to ignore her and unlock the seal?¡± Leonhard¡¯s tired voice was heard. ¡°¡­.¡± She thought for a moment. Celine learned quite a bit just by confirming that there was something the old woman called ¡®the devil¡¯ in this mine. ¡®I was wondering if I could get a hint¡­¡¯ Nevertheless, when she looked at the old woman¡¯s condition, it seemed unreasonable for her to obtain any further information. Above all, she was afraid that the overagitated old woman might be hurt. ¡°We should.¡± Celine put the tiara on the crevice of the rock that had closed the entrance to the mine while Leonhard stopped the old woman. ¡®¡­.!¡¯ The dark-red magic stone embedded in the middle of the tiara spurted and shook with brilliance. Celine grabbed the tiara tightly. She could feel the magic swirling around. ¡®It¡¯s like Ringzor!¡¯ The magic in the tiara resembled a beast with reins. Without a trainer holding on to the reins, it would run in a completely unexpected direction. ¡°Stop¡­!¡± Even though she heard the old woman screaming, Celine didn¡¯t care and focused only on the tiara. It wasn¡¯t easy for her to control the strange magic that ran rampant. ¡®¡­This is Ringzor. Think of it as Ringzor.¡¯ Finally, the rock split into exactly two pieces and crashed to the ground with a heavy sound. ¡°Are you hurt?¡± ¡°It¡¯s okay.¡± Leonhard, with an uneasy expression, seemed to have taken the old woman far away. ¡°Is the grandmother going to come after us?¡± ¡°The moment it split, she ran away.¡± Hearing so, she looked at him with puzzled eyes. Naturally, she thought he had chased out the grandmother. Leonhard shrugged his shoulders. ¡°You know. I don¡¯t like lies.¡± It was right. In the end, Celine nodded her head. ¡°She must have gone because she was afraid that the devil might come out, huh?¡± They set foot inside a mine that had been sealed for decades. There were traces of what was once a fairly large mine. Then, she noticed something strange. ¡®¡­It¡¯s not like a stage.¡¯ Like other stages, the atmosphere itself was not eerie and the presence of enemies threatening their lives was not felt. ¡®I was told that a monster certainly lives¡­¡¯ It was just an ordinary mine abandoned long ago. How far did they walk? Eventually, they reached a dead-end tunnel. ¡°¡­What?¡± There were a lot of faint things scattered around the wall. As soon as Celine uttered the question, she recognized its identity. ¡®Bones¡­¡¯ It was a human skeleton. Chapter 43 Chapter 43 Even though Celine took a step back, Leonhard gazed at the skeleton with interest again. ¡°It¡¯s a warlock.¡± ¡°¡­What?¡± ¡°The bones are twisted one by one.¡± He lightly kicked the backbone with his foot. Human bones, which should have been hard, wiggled like soft jelly. ¡°But, looking at the form still remaining, it seems that they died shortly after becoming a warlock.¡± ¡°It won¡¯t come back to life, will it?¡± ¡°No way.¡± Leonhard observed the bones one by one with skillful eyes. ¡°I think it starved.¡± ¡°Starved¡­?¡± ¡°There¡¯s no sign of any injuries. Considering the seal, there is a high probability that starvation is the correct answer.¡± Celine bit her lip ¡°Then, a certain wizard had a grudge against Count Sharp and sealed this place¡­¡± ¡°It¡¯s a false rumor. I understand why. If you find out that your comrade is imprisoned, of course, the warlocks will come to their rescue.¡± Goosebumps sprouted all over her body at his words. Leonhard continued speaking slowly, ¡°Fortunately, it was an immature warlock¡­ It looks like he died of starvation.¡± Then, he picked up something between the backbone, and her eyes widened. ¡­It was a black magic stone. At that moment, the magic stone embedded in the tiara vibrated loudly. ¡®No¡­!¡¯ Celine knew instinctively. She must control the magic contained in this magic stone. Failure to do so would cause the unbridled beast to go mad. ¡°The tiara, give it to me.¡± ¡°¡­.?¡± ¡°I must destroy it.¡± Without thinking, she hugged the tiara tightly into her arms. ¡°I can do it.¡± Celine closed her eyes and focused her mind. ¡®¡­I can do it.¡¯ If Lute Karl¡¯s words were not completely empty, she was quite a gifted wizard. Even if she couldn¡¯t use magic right now, the feeling of using magic didn¡¯t go anywhere. After a few minutes, Leonhard¡¯s urgent cry awakened Celine¡¯s deeply focused mind. ¡°Celine!¡± ¡°Leonhard?¡± She blinked her eyes at his call. She couldn¡¯t feel any vibrations from the tiara she was holding in her arms. Meanwhile, a pale, tired Leonhard was staring intently at her. ¡°Even though the magic stone has stopped running, you don¡¯t move¡­¡± ¡°It¡¯s okay. I¡¯m not dead.¡± Celine peered into the tiara. ¡®Huh?¡¯ Suddenly, the magic stone embedded in the middle of the tiara lost all its color and turned black. ¡ªClick. The magic stone made a small metallic sound and fell. With curious eyes, Leonhard picked up the magic stone that fell from the tiara and compared it with the magic stone he had picked up from among the bones. ¡°What?¡± The two black magic stones began to heat up as if resonating with each other. His face contorted in pain. ¡°Let go of both of them!¡± This time, he had a feeling that she was wrong. Leonhard clenched his teeth and endured the pain of being burned. The two magic stones swayed madly in his hand, and they began to move towards each other at high speed like magnets within the influence. Without him having a chance to stop it, the two magic stones instantly merged into one black magic stone. ¡®It¡¯s not a magic stone.¡¯ Leonhard doubted his own eyes. The combined magic stones seemed to be black at first, though they quickly became transparent, emitting subtle light. ¡°It¡¯s a crystal ball.¡± Magic stones contained magic, or they did not contain magic¡ªjust that. He had never heard of it changing into something else. ¡°Celine, do you have any guesses?¡± ¡°¡­Please, break it.¡± ¡°What?¡± ¡°It¡¯s okay to use Rashir, so please break it.¡± Hearing her words, Leonhard looked confused and stared at Celine blankly. ¡°I saw it in my dream. We have to break this.¡± Her tone was firm and full of conviction. Eventually, he put his hand to the scabbard but hesitated for a moment. ¡®¡­Well, it must be destroyed.¡¯ The principle was to destroy the magic stone that the warlock used, anyway. He pulled out Rashir and smashed the crystal ball on the floor at high speed. Rashir then hit the crystal ball accurately with a bang. In the next moment, Leonhard couldn¡¯t believe the sight before his eyes and blinked. Not a single crack was seen on the crystal ball. While he was frozen on the spot, Celine walked over and picked up the crystal ball. ¡°I thought it might be like this.¡± Her voice sounded somewhat sad. ¡°Why¡­?¡± ¡°It seems to be broken only by a monster¡¯s blow. It was like that last time.¡± ¡°¡­.¡± Leonhard stared at the crystal ball. It was annoying that he failed to do something even the claws of monsters could do, but it was not something he couldn¡¯t understand as it was a magical item. The next moment, Celine put the crystal ball in her arms. ¡°Come on. I think we¡¯ve done everything here.¡± Come and read on our website wuxia worldsite. Thanks She wanted to get away from the warlock¡¯s bone as quickly as possible. The way back was easier. There was nothing special about the tunnel, so they just had to walk down the familiar path. However, as soon as the entrance to the tunnel was visible in the distance, Leonhard¡¯s body stiffened. ¡°What¡¯s wrong?¡± ¡°¡­Stop.¡± Celine immediately stopped her steps and glanced around her. Even though she didn¡¯t feel anything, seeing his stiff and nervous reaction like that, it was obviously a dangerous situation. And, after just a few seconds, Leonhard jumped up and split the air with Rashir. ¡ªBoom! A huge boulder shattered right above her head. ¡°Shall, shall we run?¡± ¡°Stay still.¡± Celine thought it would be better for her to get out of this mine as quickly as possible, but she didn¡¯t move. It didn¡¯t take long for her to know that Leonhard was right. Although it dried and twisted in an instant, the tunnel was filled with thorn bushes that were sharp. Her hair trembled at the thought that if she had moved prematurely, her whole body might have been pierced by thorns. Celine swallowed her saliva. She couldn¡¯t quite figure out how to get through here. ¡°The warlock is dead, so why¡­¡± ¡°They must have thought that someone would come in after they died.¡± Leonhard answered by cutting down the thorn bushes that were approaching them indifferently. ¡°The warlock devoted its last focus on future murder.¡± ¡°¡­.¡± ¡°Don¡¯t worry too much. These are all the magic of the dead, so it will run out soon.¡± Nevertheless, even after quite a long time, the thorn bushes did not look like they would subside. They had only taken a few steps towards the entrance. Even though Celine took out Ringzor and swung it around to help him in the slightest, she didn¡¯t make a dent in the thorn bush. ¡°Nothing to be disappointed about. Ringzor is a crystal of pure magic. It¡¯s the opposite of black magic, so it¡¯s natural that it can¡¯t deal damage¡­¡± Suddenly, Leonhard shut his mouth and grimaced. ¡°Uh, are you hurt?¡± ¡°¡­I was stupid.¡± ¡°What?¡± Instead of answering, Leonhard shoved Rashir to the floor. At the same time as there was a dull sound, the whole tunnel began to shake. After a few minutes. The thorn bushes, which had grown unaware of the fear of the world until a little while ago, began to wither. ¡°¡­How did you do it?¡± ¡°These are not magic. It is the thought of the dead.¡± His lips twisted as he continued, ¡°I should have noticed sooner¡­ I never felt the magic. Those are just the echoes the person left behind as he died.¡± Finally, the thorn bushes disappeared without leaving a trace. They led their weary bodies to the entrance of the tunnel. By now, it was getting dark outside. Celine realized that they had been wrestling with the thorns for at least half a day. Fortunately, darkness wasn¡¯t the only thing waiting for them. ¡°There¡¯s a lot of stars¡­¡± In the moonless night sky, the stars shone beautifully and dazzled as if they were pouring down to the ground at any moment. ¡°Do you know what the name of that constellation is?¡± She gazed up at Leonhard with a puzzled look. Until now, he seemed to have no interest or knowledge about stars. ¡°It¡¯s Tiara.¡± Celine caught her breath in astonishment, though Leonhard continued his words as if he didn¡¯t notice. ¡°It is a constellation you must know to find the North Star. I half forgot about it, but I suddenly remembered it.¡± For some reason, she was led by an urge to pull the tiara out of her arms. At that moment, the sound of music that she had been thinking about dozens of times rang in her ears ¡ª The theme song of [ Celine¡¯s Nightmare ] that she heard every time she cleared the stage¡­ ¡°Celine, what¡¯s the matter?¡± Leonhard¡¯s words were cut off. Celine stared intently at the tiara in her hand with a look of disbelief. No matter how bright the starlight was, it couldn¡¯t be compared to sunlight and moonlight. Still, the tiara in front of her was shining as if it was not of this world. Like¡­ like the Tiara in the night sky. Thinking that, she lifted the tiara towards the sky. All the jewels sparkled under the starlight, and the starlight slowly filled the empty spot. For an instant, he was caught up in the illusion that not only the tiara but also Celine seemed to be shining like stars. Leonhard gazed at her as if possessed. He suddenly felt the urge to hug her and shut his eyes tightly. ¡°¡­Leonhard?¡± When he came to his senses, Celine, as usual, was looking at him with a tired face. ¡°The tiara?¡± ¡°I think you can give it back.¡± The tiara in Celine¡¯s hand was still beautiful, but the place where the magic stone had escaped was empty. ¡°What was that just now?¡± ¡°I don¡¯t know.¡± Celine answered honestly. Neither the thorn bushes a while ago nor the starlight that filled the tiara were things that she had seen in the game. Only the music ringing in her ears let her know that she had cleared the second stage of the true ending. As she was about to get on her horse, Leonhard frowned. ¡°That box wasn¡¯t there during the day, wasn¡¯t it?¡± ¡°¡­.!¡± Celine¡¯s eyes widened, and her mouth opened. There, a small wooden box containing rewards caught her eye. With a trembling hand, she opened the box and found three healing potions and a pair of shoes. She hurriedly put on the shoes, not even feeling Leonhard¡¯s staring gaze. It fit her feet snugly as if it had been measured for her. ¡®I can¡¯t believe ¡®Hermes¡¯ shoes are already out¡­!¡¯ Hermes¡¯ shoes are items that can only be obtained at the end of the game and increase the player¡¯s movement speed. Leonhard approached and picked up the healing potion. Read latest Chapters at Wuxia World . Site Only ¡°¡­Did you get it this way?¡± At that, she nodded her head, feeling a little guilty. ¡°Yes. In the dream¡­ It let me know where I can find it.¡± She glanced at Leonhard¡¯s face, concerned that she might have offended him. However, he held out his hand to her in an attitude no different than his usual. ¡°You look tired. Let¡¯s go back and rest.¡± Chapter 44 Chapter 44 The next morning. Count Sharp was overjoyed to hear that the mine had only the remains of a warlock who had died long ago. ¡°I don¡¯t think it would be enough to say thank you a hundred or a thousand times. I will never forget your grace for the rest of my life.¡± ¡°You don¡¯t have to. We got what we wanted.¡± Even though Count Sharp wondered what it was, he didn¡¯t ask. ¡°I am ashamed that I am not yet ready to treat the Lord properly, though wouldn¡¯t it be better to stay for a few days to relieve your fatigue?¡± Leonhard shook his head. If he and Celine stayed, the Count would have to prepare every day like a festival. However, the former Count Sharp had lost his life not long ago. What about Sharp castle, which has become a wreck? He had often seen cases where his victory meant the survivors had to bury their victims. In such a case, it was reasonable to leave as soon as possible. ¡°It¡¯s okay. We hope that the damage will be repaired as soon as possible.¡± As expected, Count Sharp did not hold them back. ¡°If the Lord is like that¡­ Will you allow me to see you off instead?¡± It was an offer with no reason to refuse. The two of them and Count Sharp crossed the castle and reached the Baron¡¯s residence¡¯s banquet hall. Most of the refugees were still staying in the large banquet hall. Then, the cry of a young man was heard. ¡°Tell me where you are going! Grandmother!¡± Celine immediately turned around, and her blue-grey eyes widened. A young man whom Count Sharp called ¡®Calik¡¯ was begging the old woman who had followed them all the way to the mine to disturb them, ¡°Grandmother, there are no monsters. The Lord killed all the monsters!¡± ¡°Calik, listen to me. If you don¡¯t want to die, you have to pack up and leave right now.¡± Saying that, the old woman¡¯s voice was clear and completely different from when she was yelling at Celine. ¡°Where are you going? If you leave Sharp, you have no home. We have no choice but to stay here!¡± ¡°It is better than being killed by the monsters.¡± Just then, Leonhard slowly walked towards the old woman and Calik. As soon as he spotted him, the man stuttered a few words with a bluish face. ¡°Lord, Lord¡­ My, my grandmother¡­¡± ¡°Lute.¡± Everyone who was near Leonhard enough to hear those words doubted their ears. Still, he stared at the old woman whom he called Lute. At the same time, the old woman¡¯s face was immediately distorted, but not a single curse came out of her tightly closed mouth. ¡°The warlock died a long time ago, thanks to your hard work.¡± The old woman¡¯s reaction was intense. Sparks flew from her black eyes, and her mouth moved as if she was about to spat on him at any moment. Calik hurriedly came over to restrain the old woman, though Leonhard held up his hand to stop him. ¡°¡­Do you think I will be deceived by such a reckless ploy?¡± ¡°Lute.¡± Leonhard lowered his head. ¡°Go see for yourself. Now, there are no living monsters there¡­ only the long-dead warlock remains.¡± His voice was as sharp and polite as when reporting to the Royal Family. ¡°¡­.¡± The old woman kept her wrinkled mouth shut and stared at him before running out of the hall. ¡°Gra, Grandma!¡± Calik pondered between pursuing the old woman or bowing to the Lord and the Count, before choosing the latter. ¡°I, I have no excuse. She¡¯s out of her mind, so please be generous¡­¡± ¡°That¡¯s not necessary.¡± Leonhard¡¯s tone toward Calik was businesslike but not cold. He opened his mouth to ask again, ¡°However, can you answer a few questions?¡± At that, Calik immediately responded with an openly relieved expression. ¡°Just ask me anything!¡± ¡°What is the person¡¯s name?¡± Suddenly, Calik bowed his head with a pensive look. ¡°Calik?¡± Count Sharp rushed him to answer with a puzzled face. ¡°Why?¡± ¡°¡­I do not know.¡± ¡°Didn¡¯t you say that she was the one who raised you?¡± ¡°Yes. But, by that time, she had already lost her mind¡­¡± Celine couldn¡¯t hide her surprise. Given the mental state of the now elderly woman, it seemed near impossible for her to raise a child. However, Leonhard nodded his head with an expression like he knew that would be the case. ¡°Have you ever heard of that person¡¯s past? It doesn¡¯t matter if she said it with an imperfect mind.¡± ¡°Well, that¡¯s¡­¡± ¡°Where do you live? There must be a house that raised you.¡± Calik hesitated for a moment. An answer, which was never easy, flowed out of the small open mouth. ¡°¡­It was destroyed by the monster.¡± ¡°Guide me.¡± Among those who heard him, Celine was the only one who was not surprised. Meanwhile, Calik¡¯s mouth opened wide at Leonhard¡¯s words. ¡°Are you going to my house?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± ¡°For what reason¡­ Do, don¡¯t!¡± Calik ran straight to the door leading out of the banquet hall. On the other hand, even though Count Sharp looked like he had no idea what was going on with all this, he chose to cooperate rather than waste Leonhardt¡¯s time. ¡°Can I prepare a carriage for you?¡± ¡°Horse is enough. If that young man couldn¡¯t ride a horse, it would be different¡­¡­.¡± ¡°Calik is the best rider in Sharp.¡± A small smile formed on Leonhard¡¯s lips. * * * Count Sharp¡¯s words were no exaggeration. Because Calik¡¯s house was located in the area that suffered the most from monsters, there were obstacles all along the way. But, he drove the horse lightly as if the obstacles didn¡¯t even exist in the first place. Celine asked Leonhard, being careful not to let Calik hear the conversation, who was a step away. ¡°How did you know that the grandmother was a wizard who sealed the warlock?¡± Come and read on our website wuxia worldsite. Thanks ¡°Because I felt something similar.¡± ¡°¡­What do you mean?¡± When she asked him that, Leonhard realized that he had never told Celine how he had broken all kinds of magic. ¡°Whether it¡¯s magic or black magic, each person has their own characteristics.¡± ¡°Then, why did the old woman¡­!¡± He sighed. ¡°It is almost impossible to read the temperament of a wizard who has lost their mind. The wizard was briefly in the banquet hall, albeit very.¡± Celine was silent for a while, and then she asked cautiously. ¡°¡­Mine?¡± Leonhard laughed lightly. He thought that the magic in Celine was like a fire, just like her. The first impression looks feeble, but suddenly a fire rose up and covered the whole world. ¡°How do you feel?¡± He hesitated for a moment. Celine was surprised by the first killing she had done after she was unable to use magic. If he described it as powerful, he was worried that it would only result in the contrary. ¡°¡­Just normal.¡± He did not reply much as Celine looked a little disappointed. Eventually, they arrived at Calik¡¯s house. As Calik said, the house was swept away by monsters and became a wasteland. Leonhard scanned the house quickly. Exactly half of it was destroyed, but it didn¡¯t seem like there was too much trouble going in and looking for clues. ¡°Lord, do you want to come in?¡± Calik asked in a frightened voice. ¡°What¡¯s your last name?¡± ¡°No, none. Just call me Calik.¡± ¡°Then, Calik, wait here. you don¡¯t have to come in¡­ No, don¡¯t come in.¡± Eventually, Leonhard and Celine left Calik, who was much more relieved after hearing his words, before going into the half-settled house. The house was even worse. As if a group of monsters had attacked, there were no objects, and the floor was all pitted with monster claw marks. ¡°Now, tell me. Why are we here?¡± Celine wondered inside. After all, the warlock died a long time ago. She didn¡¯t understand what he was looking for in the mad wizard¡¯s house. ¡°Evidence.¡± ¡°What¡­?¡± ¡°Proof that the person sealed the warlock.¡± ¡°Don¡¯t you already know? Leonhard¡­ Ah!¡± It was only then that she realized that her own thoughts were too narrow. Leonhard wanted to find solid evidence¡­ To let Count Sharp, perhaps Calik, know that the old woman wasn¡¯t mad in vain. ¡°It seems you have already noticed.¡± ¡°I will work hard to find it.¡± ¡°No way. I already found it.¡± ¡°¡­What?¡± Leonhard pointed to a corner of the room after saying that. It was the only storage closet that looked intact amidst being beaten in all directions. ¡°That¡¯s the only thing intact.¡± ¡°Because there is magic. Magic of such a high degree that the monsters couldn¡¯t even approach it.¡± Celine wondered what level she had to reach in order to use that level of magic, though she could not find an answer. Leonhard opened the closet slowly. ¡°Is it empty?¡± ¡°It just looks that way.¡± Rashir, who had turned into a dagger, cut something in a place that appeared only to be an empty space. Celine took in her breath at the sight. It was because a thick book appeared in a space where nothing could be seen. Leonhard took out the book and opened it with a gesture that looked even reverent. ¡°Is it a magic book?¡± Leonhard¡¯s big, long fingers gently flipped the pages. ¡°Diary.¡± At that, she blinked her eyes. ¡°Why did she keep the diary so thoroughly?¡± ¡°It must have been a record she wanted to keep for the rest of her life¡­ Or, it was a record that she wanted someone else to discover after she died.¡± Celine pressed herself close to him and peered through the front pages of the diary. Neat letters filled the blank paper. The first sentence was strong. [ I will not go crazy. Never. ] The diary recorded the struggle of the wizard against madness and black magic. [ They whisper to me. The only way I can hold on to all that I have, knowledge and reason, is to yield to them. ] Leonhard¡¯s finger, which was flipping through the pages, stopped halfway through. It was because he could no longer interpret the increasingly disorganized handwriting and the missing letters. His calm voice echoed through the ruined house. ¡°This should be enough. We better leave.¡± When he headed towards the ragged door, Celine couldn¡¯t move. It seemed as if the vivid diary she had just seen was revived before her eyes. ¡­This wizard went crazy while resisting black magic. ¡®No¡­¡¯ Such simple words could not contain the truth. This wizard, in a situation eroded by madness, sealed the warlock in the mine and took all the stigma. ¡°Celine.¡± Leonhard suddenly came closer to her. ¡°Before I picked up Rashir, many wizards died or went mad against the warlock.¡± Ah. It was then that Celine truly realized why he had worked so hard to restore the wizard¡¯s honor, who could have been overlooked. She must have sealed the warlock long before he was born. Guilt, responsibility, respect, compassion¡­ A mass of strange emotions mixed with all of this led Leonhard to this place. Even though he was about to say something, his throat stopped for a moment as though choking him. Read latest Chapters at Wuxia World . Site Only Celine did not miss that moment. ¡°Let¡¯s go. Calik will be waiting for us. A while ago, I was just a little dizzy¡­ I¡¯m fine now.¡± As they went outside, Calik ran towards them with an anxious face and asked, ¡°Lord, did you find what you were looking for?¡± Instead of answering, Leonhard held out the diary to him. ¡°Read it.¡± Chapter 45 Chapter 45 Calik looked bewildered, but did not dare to disobey the Grand Lord¡¯s orders and began to read. ¡°Ah¡­¡± After a while, a small groan escaped Calik¡¯s lips, and tears welled up in the corners of his eyes. With Leonhardt¡¯s words that he heard at the banquet hall and this diary, he seemed to have noticed the whole situation. ¡°I thought it was odd. Because Grandmother sometimes said that whenever her sanity returned, she said something that an ordinary person would never know¡­¡± Calik¡¯s shoulders shook. Leonhardt opened his mouth quietly. ¡°Show it to Count Sharp. Give the heroes of old times what they deserve.¡± They left Calik with his head down and got on the horse. ¡°Would it be alright?¡± ¡°It will be up to that person.¡± Leonhardt again spoke with his usual cold, indifferent tone. ¡°It will be fine.¡± Celine¡¯s words were closer to a desperate wish than a guess. Inwardly, she prayed for both Calik and the forgotten wizard to live in peace for the rest of their lives. Leonhardt picked up speed right away. He wanted to return to the north as soon as possible. However, they had to stop at the borders of the Sharp territory. Count Sharp was waiting for them at the border with the remaining knights. Leonhardt dismounted his horse right away. ¡°Lord, did I not say that I will be seeing you off?¡± Count Sharp¡¯s words expressed his disappointment. ¡°I didn¡¯t think you would come this far.¡± ¡°How can I just send the benefactor away?¡± Count Sharp motioned to the handmaid, who was standing somewhat meekly behind him. The handmaid walked out while carrying her little jewelry box. ¡°It is not significant, but please accept this.¡± Count Sharp opened the jewelry box right there. Celine¡¯s eyes widened. The luminous magic stones scattered light and showed off their presence. ¡°I know that the northern part of the empire is the best place to produce magic stones. But it is said that a natural magic stone has its own charm¡­¡± Count Sharp looked straight at Celine. ¡°You used Ringzor. If a scabbard is made out of these, it will be useful.¡± ¡°T-Thank you.¡± In her bewilderment, Celine stuttered a little. These magic stones were obviously a gift for her, not Leonhardt. After a brief greeting, they went back to their respective places. Leonhardt ran straight up the road to the capital, but Celine had no choice but to keep looking back. Count Sharp and his party were slowly returning to the ruined estate. Celine sighed and looked in front of her, when she noticed something a little startling. There were bright yellow flowers blooming on a large tree. ¡®Forsythia?¡¯ Celine soon realized that this flowering tree was unlike any other plant she¡¯d seen. The shape of the stem and branches resembled a cherry tree, the flowers resembled a forsythia, and the scattered leaves resembled a pine tree. ¡°Is it a flower?¡± The horse, which had been running at a constant speed, stopped. ¡°Yes. Do you like those flowers?¡± ¡°Yes, but¡­ It is winter now.¡± It was now the end of December, almost the end of the year. With the sight of spring right before her, it didn¡¯t seem like it was late winter. It felt strange. Throughout her stay at the barony, she saw the attendants adorn Leonhardt¡¯s room with tropical flowers. But all of them felt like flowers grown in a greenhouse. ¡°Winters in the south are short.¡± ¡°Then it¡¯s already spring¡­?¡± ¡°Yes. It¡¯ll be good for Sharp. Repairing the damage would be easier.¡± Celine¡¯s face, which had been hardened for a while, loosened up a bit. ¡°Sharp will be fine.¡± It was a conviction, not a question. Leonhardt nodded. ¡°The land is fertile, and the Count is a capable man. Unlike your concerns, it won¡¯t collapse.¡± Leonhardt saw some of the estates that were faced with a much more desperate situation than this. Fortunately, most of the estates recovered and returned to their daily lives. Sharp¡¯s situation was getting better and they will be able to recover easily. Celine sighed in relief and leaned her body slightly against Leonhardt. She wanted to return to the north as soon as possible. In this game, that was the only place where she felt safe. * * * ¡°Lute, you¡¯re here. Wake up!¡± Danny woke Celine from her sleep. Her blonde hair swayed as she was buried deep within the cushions, and she quickly got her body up. ¡°I¡¯m so sleepy¡­¡± Danny looked at Celine worriedly. Celine continued to sleep on her journey from the capital to the North. Time and time again she told Celine that she should go to Doctor Branche when she arrived in the North, but each time Celine replied that there was nothing to worry about because she was just a little tired. Celine stretched out and got out of the carriage. The familiar scenery with snow piling caught her eye. Even the winter wind that bit her skin was a welcome feeling. ¡°Isn¡¯t it cold?¡± ¡°It¡¯s cold.¡± Celine smiled as she looked at Leonhardt with her face flushed. ¡°But it¡¯s nice.¡± Celine realized how precious it was to be in a familiar environment, rather than in the capital city and in the south. The road she often traveled in Bernoulli Castle, where she had memorized even a single stone, and the unfamiliar and new environment had a difference like heaven and earth. After she became incapable of using magic, the difference became even more stark. Of course, she had Ringzor, but she couldn¡¯t live by destroying everything around her with it. They entered the castle gradually. ¡°What?¡± Leonhardt frowned, puzzled. Strangely, it felt as if there were no other presences here. Not even a single servant could be seen passing through the castle. Celine trembled. ¡®No way¡­¡¯ The blue-gray eyes fluttered anxiously. Come and read on our website wuxia worldsite. Thanks The time period of the hidden stage was not mentioned. She always thought that Bernoulli Castle would become a ghost castle after Leonhardt went crazy. But, if an incident happened that turned Bernoulli Castle into a ghost castle¡­ ¡°Leonhardt, Celine!¡± A familiar voice was heard. Celine looked at Natasha running towards them with a more relieved expression. It was a very happy and healthy-looking Natasha, whom she knew well. ¡°I heard everything. You did a great job, I assume? Because Father¡¯s mouth just didn¡¯t know when to stop.¡± ¡°¡­Why is there no one else around?¡± ¡°Are you saying that when people are too busy they forget what day tomorrow is?¡± Natasha looked back at Leonhardt in a usual teasing tone. ¡°¡­Phew.¡± A sigh escaped Leonhardt¡¯s mouth. ¡°Looks like they¡¯re having a ball.¡± It¡¯s been a long time since the Bernoulli family held a large-scale ball other than an ordinary banquet where only family members participated. Not seeing a single servant was understandable enough. Everyone was of course busy working. ¡°It¡¯s the last day of the year! In the meantime, we¡¯re the only ones who haven¡¯t had a ball.¡± ¡°How did you persuade Mother and Father?¡± ¡°Father and Mother¡­¡± Natasha¡¯s eyes twinkled. ¡°They couldn¡¯t celebrate Leonhardt¡¯s achievements, so they were nervous. Isn¡¯t all this for Brother?¡± ¡°It¡¯s not like I came back from a war.¡± ¡°You came back after winning a battle more difficult than war. The whole North only talks about you, Leonhardt. Agathirsus!¡± Natasha looked at Celine with a playful smile. ¡°Of course we don¡¯t forget to talk about Celine. This is the legendary Lute who survived beside Leonhardt.¡± ¡°Natasha!¡± Unlike Leonhardt, who was surprised, Celine accepted it casually. ¡°It¡¯s an honor.¡± ¡°As expected of Celine. Are you going to the ball? I have all the dresses set up.¡± ¡°Ah, that dress¡­¡± ¡°Did you die wearing it? Never mind. I thought it would, so I made another one with the same design.¡± Celine told Natasha, who answered triumphantly, that Celine could hardly tell that she had been making clothes while Celine was in the capital. Leonhardt interrupted abruptly. ¡°Where is Lute Karl?¡± ¡°He helped decorate the ballroom a while ago. Maybe now he¡¯s going to his own lab?¡± Celine sighed in relief. She wanted to hear his advice on her problem as soon as possible. As she made her way to the western tower, where Lute Karl¡¯s lab was, she didn¡¯t see a single servant. Everyone seemed to be busy preparing for the ball. Celine told Leonhardt and Danny that they must be tired so she would go alone, but both of them made a fuss and declined. Soon they reached the entrance to the west tower. When she knocked lightly on the door, Lute Karl with surprised eyes jumped out. ¡°Lord, Lute. Are you back already?¡± ¡°I sent a messenger in advance that it would arrive today.¡± For some reason, Leonhardt grunted with an uncomfortable expression. ¡°I haven¡¯t slept for a long time, so my eyes are starting to droop.¡± ¡°Did Natasha bother you a lot?¡± ¡°Goodness, why would the Princess be so hard on me? However, there are personal studies that I lost sleep because of it.¡± Celine remembered the magic stones that Count Sharp had given her. ¡®It would be better to postpone making Ringzor¡¯s scabbard.¡¯ Lute Karl looked like he would collapse if he had even done magic stone crafting. ¡°Yes, take care of yourself.¡± Lute Karl glanced at Celine, and he immediately hardened his face. ¡°Lute Celine, what¡¯s wrong?¡± ¡°Is it that obvious?¡± ¡°Anyone of my level would notice it.¡± Celine bit her lip. As Lute Karl said, most warlocks would recognize her inability as soon as they saw her. ¡°I can¡¯t use magic. If I try to use it, I keep getting nauseous and feel like I¡¯m dying¡­ For psychological reasons, I thought other wizards wouldn¡¯t notice.¡± ¡°Do you have any reason to think that it is psychological?¡± ¡°Leonhardt killed the warlock, I helped a little¡­ I haven¡¯t used anything since then.¡± ¡°What?¡± It was not known that Agathirsus was actually the base of a warlock that had been around for over a hundred years. It was obvious. It would tell the truth to show the imperial family¡¯s incompetence to the world. Leonhardt sighed. ¡°I believe that everyone in this room will not spread the word recklessly. Agathirsus is actually the base of a warlock.¡± ¡°¡­Was it?¡± Lute Karl swallowed his groan, and Danny looked at Celine with an expression that seemed to say he wanted to hug Celine at any moment. ¡°Really, the two of you have heaven¡¯s luck.¡± Lute Karl took a closer look at Celine. ¡°It¡¯s just speculation for now, but it seems that Lute Celine is bound by the rebound.¡± ¡°Rebound?¡± It was the first time they heard it. Leonhardt also looked at Lute Karl like he did not understand it. ¡°What do you mean?¡± ¡°Have you never felt anything, Lord? You must have felt the strange magic that comes every time you take a warlock¡¯s life.¡± ¡°¡­Ah.¡± Leonhardt nodded his head. ¡°I have heard of such a thing. There was no harm to me, so I forgot.¡± ¡°Because the Lord is not a wizard. These are only effective against wizards.¡± ¡°And I was the one who killed the warlock. Celine only helped me.¡± ¡°Is it an essential support?¡± Read latest Chapters at Wuxia World . Site Only ¡°¡­Right.¡± Celine closed her eyes tightly and opened them. Lute Karl¡¯s guess was correct. She shook the whole cave with her magic to kill the warlock. Leonhardt¡¯s anxious voice was heard. ¡°How can I get rid of the rebound?¡± __ Chapter 46 Chapter 46 ¡°I do not know.¡± ¡°¡­What?¡± Lute Carl was startled by Leonhard¡¯s angry voice and responded hastily. ¡°Lord, most of the wizards who kill a warlock die or become the same warlock. All the few exceptions did not escape the rebound. How can I know?¡± ¡°Then, there is no way.¡± Celine let out a sigh. ¡°It is still too early to make a decision. I will study as hard as I can. Lute Celine will try, too.¡± ¡°It is but¡­¡± Biting her lips, even though she knew it was a problem that could be solved, it was not easy. ¡®But in this world, there is no one who has released the rebound¡­¡¯ Carl spoke quickly. ¡°First, take a few days off. It¡¯s great that you¡¯re barely affected by the warlock.¡± ¡°Can you tell?¡± ¡°If you are, would you be able to stick with the Lord like that now?¡± Leonhard¡¯s face hardened. ¡°You¡¯re joking too much, Lute Carl.¡± ¡°Sorry. I didn¡¯t mean to.¡± After apologizing immediately, Lute Carl comforted Celine. ¡°Don¡¯t worry too much. Lute Celine is the owner of rare qualities, so she will be able to work it out someday.¡± As Celine¡¯s steps back to Natasha¡¯s tower after a long time were heavy, Leonhard paused for a moment at the entrance to the tower. ¡°What¡¯s wrong?¡± ¡°¡­.¡± He gazed into her eyes for a moment. ¡°If you have something you want to say, say it. I will listen to anything.¡± ¡°It¡¯s okay if you can¡¯t release the rebound.¡± ¡°What?¡± ¡°Even if you can¡¯t use magic for the rest of your life¡­ You being my guest and the guest of the North will not change.¡± ¡°Leonhard¡­¡± Celine¡¯s voice was wet. Now, she was still called Lute when she could no longer be called a wizard. Even though Lute Carl tried to comfort her, what were the chances of getting her magic back? In the first place, Ringzor presence was to protect her body. ¡°I will do my best to help you lift your curse. If we lifted it¡­ Without magic, there would be no problem in living.¡± Couldn¡¯t find a word to answer him, she just stared at Leonhard. ¡­How many times was this? She couldn¡¯t even tell him how to express this feeling she felt. There was no tremor in the deep sea-blue eyes that looked up at her. Eventually, Celine took a deep breath before she could barely begin to speak. ¡°Leonhard, really¡­ really.¡± Leonhard couldn¡¯t breathe and listened to Celine. ¡°I will not forget. Ever¡­¡± ¡°I will always be by your side, so even if you try to forget, you won¡¯t be able to forget.¡± ¡°Really? I see.¡± He could see the subtle tremors of Celine¡¯s lips, but he didn¡¯t know what it meant. * * * The next evening. As she entered the ballroom with Natasha, Celine¡¯s eyes widened and she did not know how to close. Even the moment she blinked her eyes, it felt like it was a waste. The ballroom was, in a word, brilliant. ¡°Isn¡¯t it pretty? You don¡¯t know how much Lute Carl complained. Still, it¡¯s the first ball in three years, so we have to decorate it beautifully.¡± Celine could recognize Lute Carl¡¯s touch in every corner of the ballroom. ¡®How hard must it have been to make a prism out of ice and float a rainbow?¡¯ Then, Natasha took her hand and explained her plans one by one. ¡°¡­Voila! The new magic created by Lute Carl will be showcased.¡± ¡°What¡­?¡± ¡°It¡¯s a secret.¡± Celine couldn¡¯t help but think Lute Carl deserved to die. ¡°You will really like today¡¯s food. I¡¯ve been preparing for a few days, and I even brought the chefs of the capital.¡± ¡°You really paid attention.¡± ¡°A ball for the first time in three years, it should be like this. I haven¡¯t been able to¡­¡± Natasha¡¯s words were somehow mixed with anger. Before long, the ballroom was filled with lavishly dressed people. Celine ate the cream puff while listening to the soft melody played by a talented band. ¡®Tasty¡­¡¯ The same taste from her favorite bakery lingered in her mouth. However, she couldn¡¯t really enjoy the delicious food, beautiful music, and gorgeous sights. It was because some people kept approaching her. ¡°Lute Celine, it is an honor to meet you.¡± ¡°I heard a lot. It is a pleasure to meet you here.¡± ¡°I will make it a family honor.¡± All were words that praised her. Celine smiled vaguely. Most of them must be people who were desperate to take a wizard who was not yet officially a member of the Bernoulli family. There were even more people who didn¡¯t want to hide that fact. ¡°Isn¡¯t there already one Lute in the Grand Duchy? Our family can be a family only for Lute.¡± ¡­.Just like this person. ¡®How will these people react if they find out that I can no longer use magic?¡¯ Cutting off the crowd moderately, she then moved to the balcony she had already seen. She wanted to feel the cold winter wind. Danny quickly followed her from behind. ¡°Lute, are you okay?¡± ¡°I¡¯m okay.¡± Celine smiled slightly. ¡°I think I¡¯ll be fine if I just get some cold air.¡± ¡°Let¡¯s go up to your room.¡± ¡°Let¡¯s stay on a minute more.¡± Leaving the ballroom so quickly would worry Natasha and Leonhard. ¡°I wonder what Carl Lute¡¯s magic is.¡± ¡°Don¡¯t you know?¡± Danny asked, seemingly surprised. They finally arrived in front of the balcony. ¡°How does Danny know?¡± Come and read on our website wuxia worldsite. Thanks Celine asked, a little startled after hearing her quick answer. ¡°That¡¯s it, the last day of the year¡­ the Lord.¡± Danny saw Leonhard standing on the balcony and bowed his knees to greet him. ¡®Why is Leonhard here¡­?¡¯ Celine blinked her eyes. ¡°Are you very tired?¡± ¡°A little bit. If I get some fresh air, I think I¡¯ll be fine.¡± He took out a chair on the balcony for her. Leonhard¡¯s hair fluttered in the winter wind, and his blue eyes shimmered faintly in the darkness. Suddenly, Celine realized that the ball was already ripening right now. So, there was no time for Leonhard, the Grand Duke¡¯s heir, to sit idle on the balcony and talk like this. He was not weak enough to be exhausted like her. ¡®¡­He came here for my sake.¡¯ Celine looked up at him. ¡°Leonhard will be a good master.¡± ¡°A good master?¡± He looked a little surprised. Even so, it was the first time he had ever heard of it. No one knew that Leonhard Bernoulli had to travel the entire Empire for the rest of his life. Moreover, due to the curses of the warlocks, he could not have an heir. After the death of the current Grand Duke couple, there was also widespread speculation that the real power would pass to his younger siblings. ¡°Yes.¡± But, the woman in front of him was full of confidence, in saying that he would become a good master. ¡°¡­Why?¡± ¡°You really don¡¯t know?¡± She was heartbroken at his reaction that was completely clueless. ¡°I have never seen a person like Leonhard before.¡± Celine added a word she could never say aloud to him. ¡®¡­Including inside and outside this world.¡¯ Of course, it must also be because Leonhardt has that much ability. Nonetheless, among those with that kind of ability, how many people wield their power for the sake of others without hesitation? ¡°¡­.¡± Leonhard did not open his mouth for a long time. Though Celine waited patiently for him, and finally, bitter words came out of his mouth. ¡°¡­Isn¡¯t that definitely something I should do?¡± ¡°Of course not!¡± Celine shook her head vigorously. ¡°How can that be?¡± Her throat was choked, and she couldn¡¯t speak anymore while her eyes reddened. The fact that Leonhard took out his handkerchief in great embarrassment made her cry even more. ¡°Don¡¯t cry.¡± ¡°Because of this, Leonhard makes me cry.¡± ¡°¡­.¡± ¡°¡­.¡± The two gazed at each other for a long time in silence. Meanwhile, Celine wet the whole handkerchief, and Leonhard¡¯s hair was all messed up. Although neither of them had any intention of returning to the ballroom either. ¡ªBoo-boom! Celine and Leonhard and their heads turned towards the sky at the same time. She blinked her eyes at the unbelievable sight. It was because of the beautiful fireworks of red, blue, and orange colors covered the huge night sky. The colored fireworks were split into small pieces to create a long waterfall or a huge circle that grew bigger and bigger. It was like¡­ ¡®Fireworks?¡¯ Celine opened her mouth, stunned. ¡°What, what is that?¡± ¡°You really don¡¯t know?¡± This time it was Leonhard¡¯s turn to be surprised. ¡°It¡¯s flame. Made by magic.¡± ¡°Ah¡­¡± It was then that Celine realized that the lights that covered the sky were far from the sparks she was accustomed to that were made with chemicals. If it was the flame she knew well, it should disappear in an instant like wet cotton candy. However, not a single flame burning in the sky disappeared or weakened but shone stronger again. ¡°Well, it¡¯s not unreasonable that you didn¡¯t know. Originally, it was just about illuminating the sky or floating a yellow light that mimics the sun. I¡¯ve never seen anything like this.¡± ¡°¡­.¡± Instead of answering him, she filled her blue-grey eyes full of the colored sparks. How long was that? Feeling that her hands were about to freeze, Celine stood up. ¡°Is it better to go back?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± They trotted out of the balcony, and Leonhardt quickly returned to where he was supposed to be. The ballroom was still crowded with people. ¡°Lute, would you like to go up?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± At that, Celine and Danny started walking out of the ballroom at a brisk pace. ¡®Have I been out too long?¡¯ Her whole body was shivering and cold. As soon as Celine arrived in the bedroom, she changed her clothes and lay on the bed, closing her eyes. ¡°I think I just caught a cold¡­¡± ¡°I¡¯ll talk to Doctor Branche and bring medicine.¡± ¡°Thank you, Danny.¡± Doctor Branche¡¯s medicine had a bad taste, but it was as effective as it was excellent. Right now, it was what Celine needed more than anything else. Celine closed her eyes with a dizzying head. Soon, sleepiness came upon her and she plunged into endless darkness. Meanwhile, Danny rushed back to Celine¡¯s bedroom after running to Doctor Branche and taking the cold medicine. Knocking a few times, she then entered the bedroom. ¡°Lute, please get up for a second to take your medicine¡­¡± Danny¡¯s words were cut off. Read latest Chapters at Wuxia World . Site Only The large window was open, a cold wind blew in the entire room, and only pillows and blankets were rolling on the bed¡­ But, Celine was nowhere to be seen. ¡ªClink! The bottle fell from Danny¡¯s hand. __ Chapter 47 Chapter 47 ¡°At-choo!¡± Celine woke up from repeated sneezing. It seemed that she still had a bad cold and her head was dizzy. She was so tired yesterday that Danny, who had brought her medicine, failed to wake her up. ¡°Danny, do you have any medicine?¡± The next moment, an unfamiliar voice was heard. ¡°There¡¯s no Danny or medicine here, Lute.¡± The blood all over her body grew cold. The person speaking in a sarcastic tone was a young man she had never seen before. ¡°¡­Who are you?¡± ¡°Well, even if I say it, would Lute know?¡± She stared closely at the man in front of her. The man wore a black overcoat, and his hat was pressed down. He was dressed quite wealthily for this world. She didn¡¯t even have to ask to know what happened. ¡®¡­A kidnapping.¡¯ Celine bit her lip. Both she and Danny were too careless. Since she became a wizard, she didn¡¯t need anyone to stay by her side twenty-four hours a day. Even after losing her powers, she still has Ringzor. Of course, Danny was a little more attentive, but she wouldn¡¯t have thought that those brief moments on her way to get the medicine would cause problems. ¡°What do you want?¡± A few guesses ran through her mind. Only a few people knew that she couldn¡¯t use magic now, so another family who coveted her magic¡­ ¡°We don¡¯t want anything special from Lute.¡± ¡°¡­.?¡± ¡°I just need you to stay here quietly until the situation is over.¡± Celine bit her lip and struggled. Her hands were chained, and her whole body was as heavy as lead. ¡°It¡¯s no use trying to use magic. There is an unbreakable barrier for little wizards like Lute.¡± ¡°¡­Are you a wizard?¡± If this man was a wizard, he would have noticed her condition right away, like Lute Carl. ¡°No way.¡± The man burst into laughter. ¡°I¡¯m just a mercenary. If you give me money, I will work.¡± ¡°Aren¡¯t you thinking of working for the Grand Duchy?¡± ¡°It was unfortunate. However, in this town, trust is a very important value.¡± The man stood up, shaking his shoulder. ¡°I have to go. I¡¯m saying this for Lute, it¡¯s better not to think about going out.¡± ¡°Why?¡± ¡°You will find out when you come out.¡± While she pondered whether the man¡¯s words were a warning or whether it was a trap, the man had already closed the door and gone outside. The next moment, she could hear the door lock from outside. ¡®¡­Let¡¯s think.¡¯ Celine glanced at her own outfit first. She was wearing the same thick pajamas she had when she was lying in bed. ¡®Please, be there.¡¯ A small hope filled Celine¡¯s heart. She never took Ringzor away from her body, even for a moment, to help her become adept. As she put both her hands, which were tied in front and placed them around her waist, she could feel Ringzor¡¯s outline through her thick pajamas. Celine then thought of the kidnapper¡¯s purpose as she stretched her bent fingers in the cold, trying to grab hold of Ringzor. ¡°I just need you to stay here quietly until the situation is over.¡± So, she may be a hostage. ¡®Why me?¡¯ He had worked hard enough to prepare a barrier, so that meant the hostage position must have meant to be her. Unable to find the answer, her finger caught glimpses of Ringzor¡¯s sharp blade. ¡°Hooo¡­!¡± Celine exhaled heavily. Ringzor¡¯s magic power itself was running rampant. At the same time, the joy that the barrier could not affect Ringzor and the fear that she might not be able to control it came to mind. ¡®I have to take control.¡¯ She clenched her teeth and struggled to control Ringzor. Cold sweat dripped down her pale forehead. She didn¡¯t have Leonhardt to help her now, nor Lute Carl to stop her when she went rampant. The thought that only she had to control Ringzor alone brought her mental strength to the peak. Until some time passed. ¡°I did it, I did it¡­¡± Her bangs were drenched in a cold sweat, and her whole body trembled. There was still a small cough coming out of her throat. However, Ringzor came into her hands. ¡ªCrackle! Celine moved the magical powers to completely break the chains that bound her hands. Her whole body felt like a lump of lead. Even though she wanted to lie down on the bare floor and rest, there was no time. She staggered to her feet. She didn¡¯t know what the situation the man was talking about was although it wouldn¡¯t be a good plan¡ªeither for her or Leonhard. Then, she ran to the door immediately. The man gave her the warning, but they didn¡¯t know that she could use Ringzor. It meant that they thought she couldn¡¯t use magic no matter what. Celine swung Ringzor and cut the door open. ¡ªBang! The door tumbled outside with a bang. ¡°Who?¡± As several soldiers clad in armor from head to toe immediately appeared, she immediately swung Ringzor and blew away the men into the room where she was confined. ¡°Ugh¡­!¡± The soldiers fell tangled in one corner of the room. They couldn¡¯t move properly, perhaps their leg was broken. Soon, she quickly glanced around. ¡®It was a tower.¡¯ A spiral staircase stretched down endlessly. There was no time to think so she started running down the stairs without hesitation. The floor was visible as her legs trembled. Celine swung the door open. ¡°Already shift¡­ uh?¡± The soldiers guarding the front door were blown away like autumn leaves by the wind by Ringzor. Celine hid in the darkness behind a carriage and grasped the surroundings. It was a castle she had never been to before, and there were a number of people. However, she had neither the time nor the mental space to figure out where this place was. Fleeing into a gloomy alley, she placed Ringzor in her arms again. Come and read on our website wuxia worldsite. Thanks ¡®It hurts.¡¯ Even in this desperate situation, she hated her body that still felt pain. A stinging pain spread through her bare feet as she stepped on the stone ground covered with foreign objects, forcing her to slow down. When she could no longer bear the pain, Celine stopped and listened. Somehow, her surroundings were as quiet as death. Noticing something strange as she looked around, she didn¡¯t let go of her vigilance yet. ¡®It¡¯s so quiet¡­¡¯ This alley would also be full of people¡¯s houses, though it was too quiet. Neither the noise of life nor the barking of dogs or the rattling of carriages could be heard. Celine clenched Ringzor. She had a bad feeling. ¡°Are you afraid? Kinsfolk.¡± ¡°¡­.!¡± She frantically searched for the speaker that was talking, but she couldn¡¯t find a trace of anyone anywhere. She didn¡¯t even feel the evil energy that she would normally feel when in the vicinity of a warlock. ¡°It¡¯s pathetic. Even with this kind of power, you can¡¯t find me¡­¡± ¡°What do you want?¡± ¡°What? What do I want? Hahahaha¡­!¡± Celine¡¯s body trembled at the laughter that somehow gave her goosebumps. ¡°Kinsfolk, I don¡¯t want anything.¡± ¡°Then, why did you bring me here?¡± ¡°Because there will be something you want.¡± ¡°¡­.?¡± She blinked her eyes. In an instant, a few things flashed through her mind. She wanted to get out of this eerie street right now. She wanted to return to Bernoulli Castle and to Leonhard¡¯s side. She wanted to be freed from this curse of immortality. Above all¡­ ¡®I want to go back.¡¯ When she reached the thoughts she had been avoiding, her eyes reddened. She wanted to go back. Before playing this game, her normal life¡­ ¡®¡­Get a hold of yourself.¡¯ Celine clenched her teeth tightly. This voice was just a character in the game. It had no way of knowing her deepest desires. ¡°I don¡¯t want anything but to return to Bernoulli Castle.¡± ¡°You must have wanted more than that.¡± ¡°¡­.?¡± At those words, she tensed up. This person may be aware of her endless death curse. ¡°You must be in rebound now.¡± ¡°Ah¡­¡± As a moan escaped from Celine¡¯s mouth, the man¡¯s voice showed a hint of joy blatantly. ¡°It¡¯s pathetic to be a wizard who can¡¯t use magic.¡± ¡°Did you kidnap me to teach me how to break the rebound?¡± ¡°Yes, aren¡¯t I nice?¡± Celine asked a question instead of answering. ¡°What are you going to ask for in return?¡± She had an idea. This wizard was probably a Lute from another family. So, in exchange for relieving her rebound, they would demand that she be subordinated to another family. Nonetheless, an unexpected answer came back. ¡°I don¡¯t want anything in return from my kinsfolk.¡± In an instant, the realization struck Celine directly like lightning. ¡®This man is a warlock.¡¯ Neither Lute Carl nor her incompetent teacher Lute Emile called her ¡®Kinsfolk.¡¯ It was only the warlock of Agathirsus who called her that way. And, the way he spoke, presuming that using magic was her only happiness. ¡®¡­The old warlock said they could communicate with each other.¡¯ It was only then that Celine realized how complacent she had been. The warlock of Agathirsus, shortly before his death, would have spread information about herself to the warlocks of the entire Empire. This person would be one of them. ¡°I am not going to be a warlock. It doesn¡¯t matter if I can¡¯t get rid of the rebound for the rest of my life.¡± Celine uttered quietly. ¡°Haa, that¡¯s why you were clinging to the Ringzor.¡± ¡®¡­As expected.¡¯ She slowly realized the identity of the voice. It must have been a trap to bring her abilities back to the maximum ¡ª including the room, the tower, and even the soldiers in the room she was first confined to. ¡®The first man.¡¯ Celine was convinced. The man, who said he was a mercenary, told her to stay still until the situation was over. Although she couldn¡¯t remember him properly because she was out of her mind at the time, his voice seemed to be similar. All of a sudden, a sneer came up. He told her not to come out, but it was just a twist on the outside¡­? ¡®There was no barrier in the first place where magic could not be used.¡¯ The warlock had tossed the bait and watched with delight as she struggled. ¡°You¡¯ll never become a warlock¡­ Everyone thinks so at first. So did I.¡± The voice clearly laughed at her. ¡°Everyone, without exception, has realized the power of darkness.¡± ¡®No¡­¡¯ Celine thought of the nameless Lute who resisted the dark magic till the end that she met in the South and fixed Ringzor. The voice came from a certain place. If only she could attack that point¡­! The next moment, her feet collapsed. ¡°Aaaah!¡± An instinctive scream erupted from her mouth. Tears overflowed from the fear and pain the endless descent evoked. All she could do was grab Ringzor and grab it to the end. Squeezing all of the power to open her eyes, she could only see pitch-black darkness and she closed her eyes again. Right next to her ear came the voice of the warlock. ¡°Use magic, because now, you can get rid of the rebound.¡± Celine shook her head vigorously and thrashed, crouching, horrified at the accelerating descent speed. For her, the time that felt like an eternity passed. Power was leaking out of her hand, which was holding Ringzor, and she clenched her teeth. Read latest Chapters at Wuxia World . Site Only In the current situation, Ringzor was her only hope. ¡®¡­If I do not give up until the end, what is that person going to do?¡¯ At that moment, a familiar blue light flashed over her tightly closed eyelids. The blue light of Rashir, which she knew all too well. __ Chapter 48 ¡°Leonhard!¡± A hoarse voice erupted from Celine¡¯s throat. At the same time, she realized that she was no longer falling. Still, even though she tried to glance around, her vision was blurry and she couldn¡¯t see anything. ¡°Cel, Celine¡­¡± Leonhard¡¯s hand, gently touching her head, trembled as softly as his voice. She tried to get up, but she felt as heavy as a stone, unable to move. Celine tried for a while before she could barely focus her eyes. His pale blue eyes, swaying aimlessly, were gazing down at her. ¡°Leonhard, are you okay?¡± ¡°Who to say¡­!¡± Leonhard let out a mournful word. It took three days to discover the land where Celine was hidden by the warlock. In addition, it took him another half day to figure out how to break the barrier. At the moment when the barrier was finally broken, Celine, who was lying white on the snowy field, caught his eye. During his brief run to her, his heart plummeted to the ground two or three times. ¡°Do you even know what you¡¯re like now¡­¡± ¡°I feel dizzy.¡± He raised Celine¡¯s body, who was unable to lift a single finger, and put a cloak on her shoulder. It was then that Celine realized that she was lying on the white snow. The castle bustling with people was nowhere to be seen. Only the snow-covered plains that would have been a wasteland in spring stretched all the way to the horizon. ¡­The soldiers, the castle, and the alleys were all barriers. Leonhard asked carefully. ¡°Can you ride a horse?¡± ¡°I don¡¯t know.¡± At that, he lifted her carefully over Black. Although she stumbled anxiously for a very brief moment, Celine managed to balance. ¡°¡­Be patient. Baron Elmer¡¯s residence is nearby.¡± ¡°Baron?¡± Leonhard let out a sigh at her reaction, who couldn¡¯t quite understand it. ¡°This is near the capital. If the warlock isn¡¯t an idiot, then there¡¯s no way they¡¯ll hide people by setting up a barrier in the north.¡± ¡°Capital¡­?¡± Celine blinked her eyes. ¡°Well, it must have been quite some time.¡± ¡°Three days.¡± ¡°Three days¡­¡± Leonhard didn¡¯t say how crazy he had been. For the past three days, the fact that he didn¡¯t have nightmares had been his only support. ¡°What happened in there?¡± ¡°Did the Grand Duchy not get a contact?¡± ¡°Just¡­ you were gone. That¡¯s it.¡± ¡°I see.¡± Celine let out a sigh. As expected, she was neither a hostage nor anything. It would have been better for her to be taken hostage in order to get something from the Grand Duchy. Goosebumps rose, and her heart tightened at the thought that future warlocks would continue to strive to make her truly their ¡®kinfolk.¡¯ ¡°The warlock who imprisoned me¡­¡± ¡°Their life was such a waste that they ran away, leaving only a barrier. Whatever you see inside is just an illusion they have created.¡± ¡°¡­Is that so?¡± Celine let out a bitter sigh. She thought that the warlock, who kidnapped and intimidated her, would soon be able to retaliate against her, just as she, of course, had carried out her duties with Leonhard until now. However, no one in the world was omnipotent. ¡°What the hell happened within the barrier?¡± ¡°When I woke up, I was in a room I had never seen before. My hands were chained.¡± Celine began to speak in detail from the very beginning. Even the fact that she felt trivial to herself may be a clue to him. ¡°¡­That way, I kept holding on, and Leonhard came.¡± ¡°¡­.¡± The only sound of horses running through the snow was filling the scene, and Leonhard didn¡¯t say a word. ¡°Leonhard¡­?¡± Celine became a little uneasy, and as soon as she called him, she regretted it. Perhaps, Leonhard did not even have the strength to answer because he had been searching for her for three days and three nights without rest. However, from his mouth, a completely unexpected answer came out. ¡°Sorry.¡± Her blue-gray eyes fluttered in surprise. ¡°Why are you sorry, Leonhard? The bad guy is that person.¡± ¡°I was distracted. I should have expected them to go after you¡­¡± ¡°It¡¯s the same with me as well. We can be more careful together in the future.¡± Instead of answering, he pulled Celine very slightly towards him. They said nothing more. Now was not the time to talk about reflection on the past and countermeasures for the future. Celine gently closed her eyes. Relying on Leonhard and riding Black now, she felt safer than ever. After a long while. An old-fashioned mansion entered Celine¡¯s sight. ¡°That¡¯s Baron Elmer¡¯s residence. A sudden visit can be surprising, but he won¡¯t kick us out.¡± Hearing that, Celine wondered if there would ever be anyone within this empire to kick Leonhard Bernoulli, although she said nothing. The gate of the mansion was guarded by a dozing gatekeeper. As soon as the gatekeeper saw Leonhard, he politely asked, guessing he was a high-ranking nobleman. ¡°Who are you?¡± ¡°Leonhard Bernoulli.¡± ¡°Yes¡­?¡± The doorkeeper¡¯s eyes widened like it was about to pop out, and then the door opened wide. ¡°Please, please come in¡­! What, what brings you here?¡± ¡°I want you to rest for one night.¡± ¡°Yes¡­?¡± Even though the gatekeeper seemed bewildered, he couldn¡¯t dare to disobey Leonhard¡¯s orders. He started running into the mansion. After a while, an elderly butler came out and greeted them. ¡°Can I stay overnight?¡± ¡°Yes, please come in.¡± The stable keeper ran and took Black to the stable. Meanwhile, Leonhard and her walked slowly through the garden. ¡®What¡­?¡¯ Celine noticed a few strange things even as she was tired as if she was about to collapse. The trees in the garden, which should have been neatly pruned, were either split in half or had their backs bent to expose their roots. The scene would have been even more horrific if the snow had not covered them. Leonhard seemed to think the same as her. ¡°Why are all the trees like this?¡± ¡°Ah¡­ that is¡­¡± The butler was greatly flustered and stuttered. ¡°Well, it seems that the Baron gave a gag order.¡± ¡°No. This old man¡­has a humble mouth.¡± ¡°Where is Baron Elmer? I owe him a favor, I would like to greet him first?¡± The butler stood in front of the front door. ¡°Lord, I will report to you in a moment, so can you please wait.¡± Leonhard frowned. There were only two people in the entire Empire who could keep him waiting ¡ª the Emperor and the crown prince. ¡°Guide me, right now.¡± The butler seemed to realize that the more he refused, the more suspicious he would appear and he guided them with a dying expression. Celine walked closely to Leonhard¡¯s side. Unlike the garden, there was nothing strange about the inside of the mansion. Nonetheless, the situation changed as they went up to the higher floors where the baron¡¯s office was located. ¡°Leonhardt, that¡¯s¡­¡± ¡°Shh.¡± As she pointed to the wallpaper and stairs that looked like they had been torn off by the claws of a giant beast, Leonhard gave a soft warning. Celine¡¯s heart pounded hard. It seemed that the mansion of the baron appeared to have been severely damaged by a beast, and they were trying to hide that fact though she had no idea what the reason was. Finally, they arrived at the door of the office. ¡°Master, Lord Bernoulli has arrived.¡± The door swung open in just a few seconds. Celine took a breath. Baron Elmer was a tall, stout young man, but his cheeks were sunken and his eyes were red and bloodshot, as if seriously ill. Leonhard greeted him first. ¡°Baron Elmer, I didn¡¯t know you were ill. Forgive me.¡± ¡°No, it is an honor for the Lord to visit. What made you come to this place?¡± While Baron Elmer¡¯s reply was plain, his hands and lips trembled like a terrified man. ¡°I have to stay one night here.¡± ¡°Yes¡­? That, uh, what¡­¡± ¡°The Baron should already know.¡± ¡°I-I-I don¡¯t know about that.¡± ¡°I am not blind. I saw the trees in the garden.¡± Leonhard¡¯s voice was cold as he pointed to the large scratched claw marks on the office door, ¡°There is no need to go outside, and I think this mark will be the answer right now.¡± Silence passed. Baron Elmer muttered word by word. ¡°¡­If I do not answer, what will the Lord do?¡± ¡°We have no choice but to search this house by force.¡± ¡°Is that so?¡± Baron Elmer stared blankly at the ceiling. At that, Celine and Leonhard¡¯s eyes naturally followed his gaze and reached the ceiling. ¡°¡­.!¡± She couldn¡¯t hide her surprise. The entire ceiling looked like it had been mangled by a sharp blade. ¡°Follow me.¡± Baron Elmer moved his feet slowly. Upon closer inspection, they saw a slight limp on his left leg. ¡®¡­No.¡¯ Celine realized as she was walking that Baron Elmer was trying to hide his left leg, which had been badly injured. Leonhard would have noticed, too, but he quietly followed Baron Elmer without saying a word. Baron Elmer started limping down the stairs. ¡®Where are we going?¡¯ Her doubts were resolved when Baron Elmer reached the first floor and opened the door to the dark basement. Baron Elmer was going down to the dungeon. Feeling a chill, she shook her body and prepared herself for what was about to happen¡­ What would Baron Elmer show them, whatever it was, it would be quite a shocking sight. At last, Baron Elmer¡¯s legs stopped. The only thing Celine and Leonhard could see was the thick iron grate that stood between the darkness. In the next moment, the words that made Celine¡¯s ears suspicious flowed out of Baron Elmer¡¯s mouth. ¡°This is my son, Anton.¡± ¡°¡­As expected, it¡¯s your son.¡± Leonhard was not in the slightest bit startled. The next moment, Baron Elmer let out a bitter answer. ¡°Yes.¡± ¡°Did it suddenly appear? I have never heard of a child with magical powers.¡± ¡°Anton had already manifested himself as an infant.¡± ¡°Then, why¡­¡± ¡°Her aunt died as a warlock.¡± ¡°¡­.!¡± Leonhard¡¯s face contorted. ¡°I couldn¡¯t put Anton at that risk. That¡¯s why I didn¡¯t teach him magic at all¡­ I should have taught him.¡± ¡°You seem to have succumbed to the temptation of black magic while studying alone.¡± ¡°I do not know.¡± Baron Elmer shook her head. ¡°Now, I really don¡¯t know¡­ Is that really my son? Maybe, I still love him.¡± Celine muttered to herself an answer she couldn¡¯t get out of her mouth. ¡®¡­It is true that the Baron loves Anton. He hasn¡¯t given up yet.¡¯ Leonhard put his hand to the scabbard and narrowed his eyes, glancing beyond the darkness. After a while, he commanded softly but firmly. ¡°Baron, you better go out.¡± Baron Elmer stared straight at him instead of obeying his orders and opened his mouth. ¡°It is my child. Please let him stay by my side until the end.¡± They waged a silent war of nerves with their eyes. Surprisingly, it was Leonhard who retreated first. ¡°Baron Elmer, your son still has the potential to be rescued. So please go out.¡± Chapter 49 ©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤ Chapter 49 ¡°Yes¡­?¡± A great emotion stirred in one short syllable as the Baron¡¯s face began to fill with the hope that was ignited by love. Leonhard answered bluntly. ¡°Don¡¯t expect too much, because I could be the Baron¡¯s enemy.¡± ¡°No, no.¡± Baron Elmer kept his head down. ¡°Lord, please¡­ Please, take good care of him.¡± Moments later, the sound of Baron Elmer limping and climbing the stairs echoed through the basement. Leonhard waited until the sound faded, then strode towards the iron bars. ¡°What should I do?¡± ¡°To the exit. If it gets there, jump up.¡± A smile crept across Celine¡¯s lips. It was because Leonhard trusted her choice, no longer just telling her to stick to his back. The next moment, she clasped Ringzor and stared at Leonhardt, who was shining in Rashir¡¯s blue light. The blue light made a flash, and the iron bars split in an instant and fell to the floor. He then tucked Rashir in his scabbard before striding into the darkness, shouting out the other person¡¯s name. ¡°Anton Elmer.¡± No answer. ¡°Anton Elmer!¡± This time, from the other side of the darkness, magical powers twitched and responded. Leonhard was slightly relieved. It was only ferocious magic that was dyed with anxiety and fear, though it was magic that had not yet been stained with darkness. ¡°I am Leonhard Bernoulli.¡± ¡°¡­.!¡± There was no sound in the darkness, but he could feel the other person¡¯s magical energy responding to his words. In a dark, twisting direction. ¡®¡­Not good.¡¯ Leonhard¡¯s brow furrowed. He hadn¡¯t even put his hand on his waist yet. ¡°I didn¡¯t come here to hurt you. I am here to help you.¡± ¡°¡­No!¡± A shriek like the cry of a wounded beast resounded throughout the underground space. Celine sat down in shock. It wasn¡¯t because she was afraid. However, it was because the cry a while ago was the voice of a young boy who had not yet passed his maturity. An eerie realization flashed through her head. The appearance of Baron Elmer, who looked too young to have a fairly adult son, could not give up his love for his child until the very end. Above all else, the answer to Leonhard¡¯s question about whether Anton studied black magic alone was that he did not know¡­ Anton Elmer was truly just a child. Leonhard slowly approached the direction the shout had just come from. ¡°Anton, I don¡¯t want to kill you.¡± ¡°¡­.¡± Even though there was no answer, the magical power twitched as if responding to him. ¡°But if you don¡¯t cooperate, I will have no choice but to kill you. It will be unfortunate for you and me. To your father.¡± Anton¡¯s immature magic reacted to every word Leonhard said. ¡®A little bit, a little bit more¡­¡¯ A cold sweat ran down Leonhard¡¯s expressionless face. It wasn¡¯t that he had never cut a child with Rashir, but he wanted to avoid it as much as possible. Finally, Leonhard reached where the voice had been heard. He hadn¡¯t taken out Rashir for once since he cut the iron bars to avoid unnecessary irritation. He, of course, had to rely only on his senses, without a single ray of light. ¡°It will not be difficult. Take my hand.¡± He stretched out his hand into the darkness. ¡°¡­.?¡± A wall was felt through the empty space. The child was not there. On the other hand, Celine stuck to the exit so that she could run up the stairs if Leonhard had instructed her. She had enough experience with fear of black magic. While arguing that she was not thinking that her life was not precious, she had no intention of becoming a burden to him. ¡®¡­What?¡¯ Suddenly, Leonhard¡¯s voice that seemed to soothe the child was cut off. Celine grabbed Ringzor in silence and judged the situation. As she faced death countless times, her intuition was shouting that she had to choose between the two. ¡­Go to help Leonhard or run up the stairs and runs away. ¡®Looking that Rashir hasn¡¯t been picked up yet, it¡¯s not a dangerous situation by Leonhard¡¯s judging.¡¯ Then, there was only one answer. It was not dangerous for Leonhard, though dangerous for her. Celine ran up the stairs without hesitation. ¡°Gasp, gasp¡­¡± She had already been exhausted before she arrived at the Baron¡¯s residence, so she was gasping for breath just by climbing the stairs. ¡®Oh, it¡¯s better to go out altogether.¡¯ When her breath reached the tip of her chin, Celine reached the top of the stairs from the basement to the first floor. She reached out her hand to open the door. ¡®¡­.?¡¯ Right in front of the door leading to the first floor, a small child was sitting crouching. The focus of his eyes, which gleamed in the dark, slowly fell on her. Celine¡¯s heart sank. There was no need to ask who he was. ¡­Anton Elmer was right in front of the door leading to the ground, not down there. She pulled out Ringzor that had been tucked into her arms just before she jumped up the stairs and stopped. Anton wasn¡¯t a warlock yet. He had little to no magic training, so his skills are still low, meaning that he would be an opponent that even Ringzor can overcome enough. However, it was clear why Leonhard did not bring out Rashir until the end. ¡®Anton Elmer, he¡¯s still redeemable.¡¯ It would be suicidal for her to do anything directly with Anton. Still, she couldn¡¯t stand still. ¡®I have to do something.¡¯ She thought of the priorities. There was only one person who could help the child, Leonhard. However, he did not know where Anton was now and must be wandering somewhere down there. ¡®But if I shout that Anton is here¡­ It would be provocative.¡¯ Celine slowly opened her mouth. ¡°My name is Celine, Anton.¡± ¡°¡­.¡± Even though there was no answer, she didn¡¯t care. It was only necessary for Leonhard to just locate her and Anton. She didn¡¯t need to talk anymore. Just saying a little would be enough for Leonhard. Thinking that, Celine slowly backed away. She didn¡¯t want to provoke Anton by doing unnecessary actions. ¡®I just have to wait a little longer. A little longer¡­¡¯ Celine murmured nonstop inside, barely calming her heart that was about to pop out of her mouth. Leonhard would soon come to rescue this poor child. Time passed. While her back was already drenched in a cold sweat, she didn¡¯t even feel Leonhardt¡¯s presence. ¡®Why is he so late¡­?¡¯ Celine glanced at the child. Meanwhile, the child¡¯s gaze was still at her, but he didn¡¯t look particularly aggressive. ¡®I have to go down.¡¯ Perhaps, Leonhard didn¡¯t even think of going up the stairs. Eventually, she slowly turned away from the child. He was unaware of Ringzor¡¯s existence. Since he couldn¡¯t even feel magical powers from her, she must have looked like an underdog. The fact that the child had never attacked her, meant that he had no will to attack her. Celine crept down the stairs. As she expected, she felt no threat until she reached the dark underground space. There was only darkness in the underground space. ¡®Is he hiding his presence?¡¯ Although she opened her mouth to call Leonhard, it was unsuccessful. ¡°Le¡ª!¡± At that moment, a blow that felt like the claws of a huge beast struck her. In Leonhard¡¯s experience, it was much more difficult to save than to kill. It was the same now. Killing Anton Elmer was simple. However, it was not possible to guarantee success in saving him. The moment he realized that Anton Elmer was not where he was supposed to be, his expressionless face distorted. ¡®¡­I may have to kill him.¡¯ Contrary to his tight chest, his head made a sober judgment. The child already had an intention to kill them. A little while ago, what he felt in a space in the dark where the child should have been was clearly murder intent. ¡ªThump, thump. It was the sound of Celine running up the stairs. Leonhard sighed in relief. Now, at least, he didn¡¯t have to worry about the child hurting her. And so, he began to search slowly through the darkness. The underground space was limited, and the child¡¯s magical power was unstable. Given enough time, it was more likely to calm the child¡¯s runaway unharmed. However, after a few minutes, Leonhard¡¯s bones were frozen to the core as Celine¡¯s voice came from the stairs. ¡°My name is Celine, Anton.¡± ¡°¡­.!¡± He suppressed the urge to run up the stairs immediately. If he ran to save Celine, the child would harm her in an instant. Leonhardt slowly took Rashir out of his scabbard and aimed it towards the top of the stairs. After staying in one place for quite some time, he could feel the accumulated magical power. ¡®¡­Was it like that?¡¯ The child appeared to have climbed the stairs as soon as the iron bars were cut. Leonhard closed his eyes and focused his mind. He pinpointed the actual location, so all the hard work was done. After just a few minutes¡­. He was able to find the original source that was shining through the flow of the magic that had been falsely scattered everywhere else. He then slowly began to draw a shield that would block the child¡¯s rampant magic and protect himself with Rashir. ¡­How long was it? Leonhard knew instinctively that the time he needed was less than five seconds. He raised Rashir. Finally, when he was going to wield Rashir and put an end to this matter. Just then, a scream of death resounded throughout the underground space. ¡°Le¡ª!¡± Leonhard couldn¡¯t think of anything. He just ran to where the scream had just been heard. In an instant, a blue flame soared from Lashir, and the underground space where there was only darkness was brightly lit. To the extent that Celine¡¯s miserable appearance was clearly visible in his eyes, as blue as the deep sea. Celine lay flat on the floor, motionless. The cloak she wore was torn horribly as if she had been attacked from behind her back. It was like the claw marks that had scratched the Baron¡¯s residence. While he couldn¡¯t see blood, a blow like that would have shattered the bones all over her body. Leonhard¡¯s head spoke of the only analysis. ¡®¡­She¡¯s dead.¡¯ Leonhard¡¯s face was neither distorted nor trembling. Rather, he approached her with an expressionless look as if he was a person with no emotion. He reached out to get Celine up from the floor. The first thing she saw when she came back to life should be his face, not the dirty floor of the basement. However, the moment his hand gently touched her slender shoulder, Celine¡¯s body moved greatly. ¡°¡­.?¡± Leonhard took a step back with a puzzled look. He didn¡¯t just experience Celine¡¯s death once or twice. She couldn¡¯t have come back to life so quickly. His eyelashes trembled as he stared blankly at the open blue-grey eyes. ¡°Leonhardt, I¡­¡± He followed Celine¡¯s words, holding her breath. ¡°Not dead.¡± __ Thank you so much for always supporting the novels I work on, even if you don¡¯t buy me a coffee, I really do appreciate it a lot. ?? ©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤ Chapter 50 The first thing that came to Leonhard¡¯s mind was the thought that Celine must have been wounded enough but not enough to die. ¡®¡­It must be painful.¡¯ He hastily brought up the mysterious drug that she had discovered. ¡°Take the medicine right now¡­¡± ¡°I¡¯m not hurt.¡± ¡°What?¡± He couldn¡¯t quite believe it. Still, Leonhard noticed instantly that Celine was telling the truth. It was because the blue-grey eyes were staring straight at him without any sign of pain. Leonhard did not feel the pain he had seen countless times, nor the pain he should have felt like his bones had been crushed. ¡°¡­What happened?¡± Celine pulled something out of her arms. Leonhard blinked. The unbroken crystal sphere that could not be broken by Rashir was split into several parts. ¡°I think it absorbed the shock.¡± ¡°What¡­?¡± He had never heard or seen the crystal balls used by the prophets absorb powerful magic. The reason was unknown, though Celine must have misunderstood. Leonhard explained carefully. ¡°The crystal ball cannot absorb magic power. Of course, it must have just broken from the shock. But, that has nothing to do with you being unharmed¡­¡± ¡°This is no ordinary crystal ball. Have you ever seen a crystal orb that cannot be broken by Rashir?¡± He lost his words. A crystal ball that could not be broken with Rashir made no sense as well. However, Celine said that it only seems to be broken by monsters, and the monster¡¯s claws actually suffered damage, so she didn¡¯t pay much attention to it so far. ¡°In your dream, how did it come out?¡± ¡°It was certain that it was only broken for reasons related to me.¡± Celine continued as she gazed at Leonhard, who was bewildered and puzzled. ¡°I didn¡¯t know exactly what it was. I only guessed because it wanted to be awakened by monsters¡­ However, now I know.¡± A little while ago, the child¡¯s magical power, which clearly harbored murderous intent, struck her. Celine prepared for the pain of death, clenching her teeth although she felt nothing. ¡ªCrack! Instead, the sound of something cracking in her ears rang clearly. She sensed the identity of the sound. ¡­The sound of the crystal ball breaking. It was the same as when the crystal ball was cracked in Agathirsus. At the same time, she finally realized when this orb, which did not break with Rashir, would break. ¡®It¡¯s not just broken by monsters. This¡­ it was instead of life.¡¯ The crystal ball was broken, saving her from the situation where Celine must die. Nevertheless, she wasn¡¯t happy. The crystal ball saved her life once and broke, in other words, to break the crystal ball, she had to risk death. Her eyes widened a little. There would be several such quests in the future, and each time Celine would throw her life without hesitation without waiting for a coincidence. She had to clear this game as quickly as possible. ¡®¡­Yeah, I can¡¯t hold back.¡¯ The time left for her was five years. It was a long time, but Celine thought that she would never know when something might happen. Leonhard promised that he would be by her side for the rest of her life, but she didn¡¯t always know about people. ¡­Especially, if it was an unpredictable game world. When Leonhard could support her, she must clear the game as much as possible. ¡°What did you mean?¡± Celine blinked her eyes. Seeing Leonhard urged an answer, she seemed to have been too engrossed in thoughts. ¡°It prevents my death, so it seems to break instead.¡± She was honest. It was not a problem that could be solved by hiding it. ¡°¡­.!¡± His eyes shook with shock, but he soon regained his composure. ¡°I¡¯ll have to look through all the chests.¡± Celine slowly stood up. Strangely, it felt like all her fatigue was gone. ¡°Anton is¡­¡± ¡°It was a little bit of a headache.¡± ¡®As expected.¡¯ Leonhard found the fight a little insignificant. Still, she knew how well it was now a bit troublesome for him. ¡°Can you save him?¡± He hesitated for a moment before opening his mouth, but Celine already knew the answer. ¡°Please, save him if possible. Don¡¯t worry about me.¡± ¡°¡­I can¡¯t do that.¡± ¡°What can¡¯t you do?¡± Saying so, she smiled slightly. ¡°I am not talking about saving Anton by sacrificing me. It just means you don¡¯t have to worry too much about me when it comes to saving Anton.¡± After a moment of silence, he was able to answer. ¡°I¡¯ll do my best.¡± He pointed in the direction the child was going to be with Rashir. It didn¡¯t seem like it would take too long since the matter of locking an unbridled child¡¯s magical power would be done at the final stage. ¡®¡­.!¡¯ Leonhard¡¯s face hardened. Anton Elmer¡¯s magical power, which was originally close to the achromatic color, was now fully alive. And, the target of his murderous intent was him. ¡°Anton, take away the magic.¡± Leonhard gave orders calmly without panicking at all, though the child¡¯s magical power began to run wild again. ¡®It turned out getting locked up backfired.¡¯ Baron Elmer kept his son alive and locked him up to protect the other members, hiding him. Meanwhile, the child became the ruler of this basement¡ªthe point where he fooled Celine and Leonhard for a moment. He didn¡¯t move a single step, still aiming Rashir at the bottom of the stairs towards the child. The murderous magical energy rushed toward him and then repeatedly fell like an ebb. Finally, he was able to catch up with the flow that had been interrupted in the finishing stage a while ago. After that, it was a breeze. The child¡¯s magical power, which was trying to imprison him along with the darkness, faded in an instant. The sharp blade also disappeared without a trace, as if it even existed. Leonhard ran up the stairs. He didn¡¯t say a word to Celine, but he could feel her running after him. A little child was limping right in front of the door leading out of the basement. He carefully checked the child¡¯s pulse. At the same time, Celine barely opened her mouth though only a few words came out in mumbles. Fortunately, he knew immediately what she was trying to say. ¡°He didn¡¯t die. This is the result of using too much magic power. He¡¯ll be in a coma for a few days, but he¡¯ll be fine.¡± Celine sighed and opened the door. The sun was pouring in a bit. ¡°Lord!¡± Baron Elmer ran away restlessly. Bloodshot eyes drooped and reached the young son in Leonhard¡¯s arms. ¡°Lo, Lord¡­¡± ¡°He¡¯s okay.¡± ¡°What?¡± ¡°His power will no longer run wild. He will only sleep for a few days, but he is safe.¡± Baron Elmer did not answer. No, he seemed unable to answer. He carefully took his son from Leonhard and then stroked the boy¡¯s face. ¡°Really¡­ really.¡± He murmured as if he only knew one word. ¡°Yes.¡± Leonhard paused for a moment and began to explain in a businesslike tone, ¡°In the worst case, he might be in a coma for a week or so. However, don¡¯t worry, his body is healing itself.¡± ¡°Anton¡­¡± ¡°And, when he wakes up, be sure to attach a trusted wizard as his teacher.¡± Baron Elmer¡¯s face turned white. ¡°Is it really necessary? He got to this point because he used magic¡­¡± ¡°You can think of him as a child who got lost and was looking for his house alone, and grabbed someone¡¯s extended hand.¡± ¡°¡­.¡± ¡°He must never again be left lost alone.¡± From Baron Elmer¡¯s mouth came a word full of painful realization. ¡°¡­I must have ruined Anton with my own hands.¡± Leonhard did not answer. * * * Celine got up with a lighter body. She had no memory of it that she doubted she had come into her bedroom with her feet but a soft blanket wrapped around her body. ¡®¡­The quest!¡¯ In her mind, a phrase on parchment that had not been checked yesterday came to mind. She quickly put her hand in the pocket and pulled out a crumpled piece of parchment from among the cracked crystal balls. [ Wake the dragon from its slumber ] ¡®What does it mean¡­?¡¯ Celine gazed at the parchment for a while. Now, it is not as cumbersome as it used to be. It must be a quest that would lead them to the next stage. ¡®The next stage is¡­ It was a lava field.¡¯ But, she wasn¡¯t sure. Perhaps, like the first stage, the Cursed Mansion, and the third stage, the torture chamber, they skip one or two stages in the middle this time as well. Celine recalled the remaining stages one by one, trying to figure out if it had anything to do with the sleeping dragon. ¡®¡­I don¡¯t know!¡¯ Among the various monsters that appeared in the game, there was not one that resembled a dragon, let alone a sleeping dragon. ¡®No way¡­!¡¯ An absurd guess ran through her mind. Celine slowly rolled up her sleeves as if possessed by something. Without moving, a small dragon, Lou, wrapped around her wrists appeared. ¡®Nonsense.¡¯ She stared blankly at Lou. This wouldn¡¯t be. In the first place, it was only by coincidence that she found Lou. ¡®If I hadn¡¯t found Lou in the first place, this quest wouldn¡¯t have been accomplished.¡¯ Celine sighed and lowered her sleeves. ¡®I¡¯ll have to ask Leonhard first.¡¯ Changing into a clean dress and lying right next to the bed, she then tried to open the door but banged her forehead against the door that opened back towards her. ¡°Are, are you okay?¡± Celine raised her head. The man she could trust more than anyone in this world was watching her with a worried look. ¡°Leonhard!¡± ¡°¡­Be careful. I thought you hadn¡¯t died, but if you died just because you bumped into the door, I¡¯d collapse.¡± ¡°I won¡¯t die like this.¡± ¡°That¡¯s a relief. I was a little worried because you slept like the dead.¡± Celine almost laughed at Leonhard¡¯s joke, but she came to her senses and asked, ¡°How long have I been sleeping?¡± ¡°Two days.¡± At that, her eyes widened. ¡°Two days?¡± Leonhard sighed. ¡°It¡¯s not unreasonable to think about what happened. You woke up in the middle and drank water, do you remember?¡± ¡°No.¡± ¡°I see.¡± He did not dare to mention that he had been caring for her by her side for the past two days. Suddenly, Celine pulled something out of her pocket. Leonhard furrowed his face in the sense of d¨¦j¨¤ vu. It was a piece of parchment that closely resembled the one seen in Agathirsus. ¡°¡­No way.¡± ¡°That rumor is correct. I think I have to obey this word, but I have no idea what it means.¡± Hearing her words, he took the parchment from her, and immediately, his face hardened the next moment. ¡°Leonhard doesn¡¯t even know either?¡± Celine¡¯s voice trembled slightly with anxiety. ¡°No.¡± Leonhard shook his head. ¡°I know what it meant. However¡­ This is a place I cannot go.¡± Chapter 51 Chapter 51 Celine blinked her eyes. ¡°Is there any place that Leonhard can¡¯t go to?¡± ¡°What do you think of me?¡± Even though his voice sounded a little dumbfounded, Leonhard had a faint smile as if his mood wasn¡¯t terrible. ¡°This text refers to a volcano.¡± ¡°¡­A volcano?¡± Celine¡¯s voice rose. In the game, the next stage of the lake was a lava field filled with lava every moment. ¡°Yes. It seems a bit quiet these days¡­ Still, I heard that there was always lava flowing.¡± Leonhard gazed at her face, which was getting brighter and brighter. ¡°Did it come out of your dream?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± Celine nodded her head broadly. ¡°It was a land filled with lava. I didn¡¯t even think of a volcano¡­¡± ¡°It¡¯s lava, so of course, it must flow from the volcano.¡± At his words, she bit her lip. That lava flowed from volcanoes was common knowledge for Leonhard as well as Celine. However, she only remembered the lava fields in the game all the time, and she couldn¡¯t relate to the actual volcanoes. She knew why. ¡®I thought the stage was a game¡­¡¯ Two months had passed since she woke up in the cursed mansion, and the line between a game and reality was gradually blurring. It was because even Leonhard was different from the game right now. Still, Celine believed that the stage was like the game. Only then would she be able to finish the game and return to her original life when she saw the true ending. But, Leonhard¡¯s words reminded her of something she had never thought of. ¡®¡­It¡¯s all real. The mansion, the mine, the lake.¡¯ Celine recalled the stages she cleared one by one, not in the game but in the real world. As soon as she cleared one, just like the stages in the game, rather than jumping out of the context of the next stage. Everyone had a place in the world where Leonhard lived¡­ In other words, even if she saw the true ending, she may have to live here for the rest of her life as ¡®Celine Hunt who saw the true ending.¡¯ An anxiety overcame her. As long as there was a glimmer of hope that she could return to her original life, she wouldn¡¯t give up watching the true ending. Nevertheless, what she thought was 100% now had a 50% chance¡­ who wouldn¡¯t despair¡­? Her confused mind did not subside until the moment she departed for the North when the Baron expressed his gratitude. * * * ¡°Celine!¡± As soon as she got off the carriage, Natasha ran straight to her and hugged her tight. ¡°Looks like you¡¯re okay. I¡¯m really glad.¡± ¡°It¡¯s all thanks to Leonhard.¡± Natasha shook her head softly. ¡°Don¡¯t tell me, my eyes will be completely turned upside down¡­ Oh, I heard that something bad happened to Barony Elmer, too!¡± Celine was going to say it worked out fine though Natasha held her hand in a non-stop chatter. ¡°First, get checked up with Dr. Branche first. By the way, soothe your escort maid well. This time she was really about to die. I was so worried, I put Miriam with her.¡± Her heart sank at Natasha¡¯s words. Danny would think it was her fault that Celine was kidnapped. ¡°Where is she now?¡± Celine opened the door to Danny¡¯s room with a heavy heart. ¡°Who¡ªLute!¡± While Miriam jumped up and greeted her, on the other hand, Danny only gazed up at her with blank eyes. Seeing Danny, who hadn¡¯t slept or eaten for several days, made her heart ache. ¡°Miriam, Danny. Sorry for worrying you.¡± ¡°What do you have to apologize for, Lute?¡± Even though Miriam tried to answer right away, Danny took a step forward. Her stubborn lips moved, and a hard answer flowed out. ¡°It¡¯s all because of me¡­¡± Celine shook her head. ¡°It was the warlock who kidnapped me. Had Danny been there, you would not have been able to point it out.¡± ¡°Still¡­!¡± Her angry voice echoed through the room. ¡°¡­Lute must have suffered less for one day.¡± Celine wanted to say she didn¡¯t care if she had been kidnapped for three or two days, but she stopped. Now, all of Danny¡¯s thinking was directed towards blaming only herself. At times like this, it would be better not to argue. ¡°Danny, the past is the past. I hope that you will continue to protect me from now on. Does Danny not want that?¡± ¡°That can¡¯t be¡­!¡± Celine cut off her words adamantly. ¡°So then, get some sleep. Eat properly as well. Please, escort me in good health.¡± Suddenly, Danny¡¯s shoulders, who had only looked stiff, shook. ¡°Lute¡­¡± ¡°If you want to blame yourself, you can blame it as much as you want.¡± Celine pitied herself, too, as she joked. In fact, this may be closer to the truth. ¡°However, if you don¡¯t, it¡¯s not going to help anyone. I hope Danny can help me.¡± Instead of answering, Danny looked at her with tears in her eyes. Celine then turned her head before opening her mouth again. ¡°Miriam, I¡¯m sorry, though could you bring me some food? I am very hungry.¡± Moments later, Miriam returned with a tray full of her favorite food. Celine gazed at Danny as she ate vigorously, savoring the cream that spread through her mouth. ¡®Do I have to clear the stage?¡¯ She thought it might be better for her to live a safe life, where she could no longer die under Danny¡¯s protection. It may not have been necessary in the first place for her to follow the true ending, threatening her life as well as Leonhard¡¯s life. After she urged Danny to get some rest, Miriam followed her as she stepped out the door. ¡°I will escort you. Where would you like to go?¡± ¡°Uh¡­¡± Celine hesitated for a moment before opening her mouth. ¡°I want to meet Leonhard.¡± All the way to Bernoulli Castle, she kept her mouth shut in the carriage. It was because she was afraid that all the truth would come out. And so, they left Natasha¡¯s Tower and headed for Leonhard¡¯s Tower. His tower, with an old-fashioned yet bleak atmosphere, had not changed at all since they left. As they were sauntering slowly, organizing the thoughts in my head, she heard a familiar voice. ¡°Celine¡­?¡± The startled Leonhard was looking at her. ¡°I thought you were resting¡­ What¡¯s going on?¡± She swallowed a gulp. ¡°I have something to tell you.¡± ¡°What?¡± Celine closed her eyes tightly and opened them. Her mouth didn¡¯t open properly, but she had to speak. So far, she had been able to borrow his power to follow the true ending route. But now, she had lost even her power to move on to the true ending route. ¡°¡­What do you think if I can¡¯t break the curse for the rest of my life?¡± ¡°It doesn¡¯t matter. Didn¡¯t I tell you? I promise to be by your side for the rest of my life.¡± His voice overflowed with certainty. Celine glanced up at him. Leonhard, whom she had seen thus far, was not someone to tell lies. Now that there was no guarantee that she would be able to return to her original life just because she saw the true ending, wouldn¡¯t it be better for her to live safely than to continue to endanger herself and his life¡­? ¡®¡­Wait a minute.¡¯ For a moment, her body stiffened. ¡®Leonhard can¡¯t keep that promise.¡¯ It was because she clearly saw his future. The image of a murderer running to slaughter people with bloody eyes¡ª ¡ªJust five years later, that would be Leonhard¡¯s appearance. ¡®It¡¯s not five years.¡¯ Since she was kidnapped during a banquet to celebrate the last day of the year, and about a week had passed since then¡­ The remaining time was only four years. ¡®Yes, above all else, for Leonhard¡­ I have to see the true ending.¡¯ Her mouth opened slowly. ¡°¡­Promise me.¡± ¡°Am I that untrustworthy?¡± Leonhard¡¯s puzzled question came back. ¡°For the rest of my life, promise me that you will be by my side as the Leonhard you are now.¡± ¡°That¡¯s impossible, isn¡¯t it?¡± He looked surprised and sullen at the same time as he finished his words, ¡°Because I am not immortal.¡± ¡°That¡¯s not what I meant.¡± Celine was a little angry. ¡®How can he not understand something so obvious?¡¯ ¡°I like the current Leonhard. Because¡­¡± She couldn¡¯t continue. Because as soon as it came out of her mouth, she realized how what she had just said would sound to Leonhard. Her face lit up with fire. ¡°Ah, so, that¡¯s¡­¡± Celine gibbered. Whatever she said, it sounded like a confession, and when she thought of another expression, she had to make it clear that this place was in a game. Eventually, after muttering a few words that Leonhard would not understand, she shut her mouth. There was silence for a while. She started counting the patterns on the floor. Her head, which had stopped from the considerable embarrassment, did not know how to turn. Fortunately, Leonhard didn¡¯t seem to mind. ¡°I¡¯m glad you¡¯re feeling fine. Is it okay if I leave tomorrow?¡± Celine looked up at him with wide-open eyes in surprise. ¡°Where?¡± ¡°To the volcano.¡± Leonhard replied as if it was a given. ¡°Leonhardt said you couldn¡¯t go¡­¡± ¡°You must have seen a solution in your dream.¡± At that, her eyes twinkled. Leonhard was right. She knew how to navigate the lava fields. ¡°I will prepare.¡± ¡°And, there is one thing you should know.¡± Leonhard¡¯s eyes met hers. ¡°We will not return to the castle until the curse is lifted.¡± ¡°¡­I beg your pardon?¡± Celine asked blankly. She was terrified that she wouldn¡¯t see the true ending within the time of four years. But now, Leonhard was talking as if it was something that could be finished in a few days. ¡°What if it takes five or ten years?¡± ¡°Then, we will be back in ten years.¡± ¡°But, Leonhard also has to carry out his duties. It¡¯s impossible to just hang on to me.¡± ¡°I used to receive assignments while on missions anyways. I just need to keep telling them where I am.¡± ¡°The Grand Duke¡­¡± ¡°I told him already.¡± Leonhard shrugged his shoulders. ¡°My father always respects my opinion. He doesn¡¯t really care about what I do, as long as I¡¯m just doing my job.¡± ¡°¡­.¡± Celine stared blankly at him. So far, even though Leonhard has surprised her several times, he had never said something as unbelievable as he does now. ¡°Well, can I ask you something?¡± ¡°Anything.¡± ¡°Why¡­¡± She hesitated slightly. ¡°¡­I don¡¯t know why Leonhard is doing this for me.¡± Instead of answering, Leonhard bent his knees slightly and brought himself to her eye level. Celine turned her head away, unable to bear the stares that seemed to be scrutinizing deep into her. At the same time, his lips opened. ¡°Because you are the first person to do this to me, Celine Hunt.¡± __ Chapter 52 Chapter 52 Celine¡¯s head stopped. ¡®That¡¯s what I have to say¡­!¡¯ Leonhard had been doing impossible things for her. At the thought, she suddenly pondered of what would happen if another ordinary powerful man had become entangled in her own curse like Leonhard. ¡®Maybe, I could have been locked up for the rest of my life, so I can¡¯t go anywhere and never die¡­¡¯ As soon as Leonhard saw that she would be killed endlessly and come back to life, didn¡¯t he also panic? ¡°Leonhard is¡­¡± Celine¡¯s words were immediately interrupted by him. ¡°Why does it matter who I am?¡± ¡°That¡­!¡± He then moved his body slightly and made eye contact with her again before continuing his words, ¡°What were you just thinking, let¡¯s guess.¡± At his words, Celine couldn¡¯t breathe as he stared at her tenaciously. ¡°You must have thought you didn¡¯t do anything.¡± All she could do was weakly nod her head. It was because what he said was right. Not only did she do nothing, even if she seemed to be helping Leonhard, but in the end, it was all for herself. ¡®Everything that I did to help Leonhard¡¯s mission was in the end for me¡­ because his and my interests coincide.¡¯ However, Celine wasn¡¯t brazen enough to bring these facts out of her mouth, so she just lowered her gaze to the ground. ¡°Are you worried about me?¡± ¡°That¡¯s a given.¡± She answered weakly, and then she began to count the patterns on the floor. She could not understand his intentions. Celine didn¡¯t know, perhaps, it was his unique consolation. But, Leonhard shook his head and made a clear sign of denial. ¡°It¡¯s okay to fail, so come back uninjured¡­ You were the first to tell me that.¡± ¡°¡­Leonhard.¡± Celine no longer avoided his gaze. Again she gazed straight at him. She had to correct this. ¡°That¡¯s not a big deal. It¡¯s just something Leonhard should have heard of.¡± ¡°You are the only one who thinks that way.¡± Even though she opened her mouth to refute it, he took a step faster and added, ¡°Until now, I have only lived to kill warlocks and demons.¡± ¡°Leonhard did the right thing.¡± This time, even Leonhard agreed with her. ¡°Yes. No shame, no regrets. I will probably continue to kill evil things for the rest of my life.¡± Then, he looked deeply into her eyes, who now avoided his gaze. ¡°Still, only when I helped you¡­ I felt that I was doing what I truly wanted.¡± Celine couldn¡¯t say anything. It was because if she spoke, she would be crushing Leonhard¡¯s heart, which was too much for her. ¡°¡­.!¡± Leonhard¡¯s eyes widened, and his whole body stiffened. Celine was hugging him. It was as cautious as if he was someone dear to her. They¡¯d shared a few hugs so far. Nevertheless, it was all for him to confirm her survival, nothing more. Leonhard¡¯s heart raced to his throat. His heart was beating so fast that he was afraid that the sound would reach Celine. Moments later, he noticed that Celine carefully pulled away from him, and she glanced up at him with a determined look. ¡°I don¡¯t want to wait until tomorrow. We are leaving now.¡± * * * Celine wondered whenever Leonhard called their destination just a ¡®volcano.¡¯ However, as soon as she arrived at the destination after several days of riding the horse, she realized why. She had never seen one that fit the name of a volcano as much as this one, among so many photos and videos of volcanoes. The smell of sulfur and ashes suffocated her to the point of not being able to breathe properly. Seeing the scenery, she thought that she would be okay if she didn¡¯t touch the lava just like she did in the game. Meanwhile, Leonhard released Black to the area where there was still grass. ¡°Is it really necessary to come here?¡± When she nodded her head, an unexpected reply came back. ¡°That¡¯s good then.¡± ¡°What¡­?¡± ¡°It must mean you saw it in a dream, Prophet.¡± Celine frowned and recalled the game stage. It was not easy for her to memorize the details because it was quite some time ago. ¡°We need to find a place where only lava flows on a flat land.¡± ¡°Well.¡± Leonhard pointed his finger somewhere. ¡°Right now, it seems flat and full of lava.¡± Her eyes then followed where his fingers pointed. There, Lava was flowing over the land far away from their location. ¡°Let¡¯s go.¡± Leonhard followed Celine¡¯s instructions without asking what she was thinking. As they walked silently through the ash dust and often splashed with lava-land, the ashes piled up to knee-high, so Leonhard had a hard time walking. Still, Celine was able to walk lightly, leaving only the marks of her shoes on the ashes. At first, she thought that it was because of their size difference. Although she soon realized that her steps were strangely light. So, she paused for a moment and looked down at her shoes. Hermes¡¯ shoes, which were the reward for clearing the second stage of the true ending route, caught her eye. Celine carefully took off her right shoe. ¡°Celine!¡± ¡°Wait.¡± Celine immediately restrained Leonhard, who was terrified, and put her right foot on the ashes. While she only used light force, her feet sank down. ¡®¡­As expected.¡¯ She then brushed the ashes off the soles of her feet and put the shoes back on. ¡°What are you doing?¡± The next moment, Celine turned her back and pointed to the ashes where they had left their footprints before opening her mouth to him. ¡°Leonhardt, don¡¯t you think it¡¯s strange?¡± ¡°What is the problem?¡± ¡°Footprints! Only my footprints were left strangely light.¡± ¡°¡­Ah.¡± Leonhard frowned slightly. ¡°I thought it was because you were so light because you were so skinny.¡± ¡°¡­.¡± ¡°If that bothers you that much, eat better in the future.¡± Celine didn¡¯t tell Leonhard as she walked away that it was because of her shoes. And, they soon reached the lava-filled flat land that he had pointed to. ¡°What¡­?¡± Leonhard looked around in bewilderment. Obviously, when viewed from a distance, the lava that erupted from the crater was at a level where the lava flowed down to the flat ground. The volcano was barely visible on the horizon in the distance. ¡°¡­Strange.¡± At that, his face hardened. On the other hand, Celine looked full of confidence. ¡°It¡¯s like a dream.¡± ¡°What on earth is your dream¡­ So, what should we do here?¡± ¡°We have to go to that volcano.¡± ¡°¡­What?¡± Leonhard doubted his ears and asked back again. ¡°Crossing across? There¡­?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± Celine stood at the edge of the safe zone full of ashes, bending her waist slightly and examining the scorching lava. Suddenly, something pulled her back. ¡°It looks dangerous.¡± He responded briefly to the silent protest. Leonhard couldn¡¯t help but watch her slender body leaning so precariously as if it would fall into lava at any moment. Suddenly, Celine pointed to a spot above the lava. Amidst the seething lava, a rock that could barely stand a single person, stood firm. ¡°I will go over there.¡± He did not ask why. Surely, Celine must have seen in her dreams how to walk on this lava. The distance between the rock and the land was about one meter, which was a distance that could be run without difficulty. Just as he was preparing to skip, Celine pulled his sleeve. ¡°I¡¯ll, I¡¯ll go first!¡± ¡°¡­.?¡± ¡°Even in that dream, I went first.¡± Leonhard gazed up at her, who was looking up into her eager eyes, still holding his sleeve. Anxiety or fear was nowhere on her face. Instead, all he could think of was her concern for him. Leonhard hesitated for a while. It was easy for him to shake off her hand and jump over that rock, but if he did, it would be shouting that he did not trust her. Just a few days ago at the Bernoulli Castle, Celine was trembling with a sense of insecurity. In the end, he smiled at her. ¡°¡­I see.¡± Celine took a deep breath. She told Leonhard that she was confident, though it wasn¡¯t easy for her to risk melting herself into the lava if she stumbled. There seemed to be enough space between the edge of the safe zone and the rock. Closing her eyes tightly and opening them, she then kicked the ashes. ¡®¡­.?¡¯ Her body was much lighter than she thought, and her landing was stable. She could easily recall why. ¡®¡­Hermes¡¯ shoes.¡¯ For the first time, she felt fortunate that she was on her way to the true ending route. If she had been on the regular route, she would have died over and over again because she didn¡¯t get the right shoe. Celine peered straight ahead. Another rock appeared a little further away than the distance she had just skipped. She then ran towards the spot without hesitation. At the same time, Leonhard landed on the rock where she had been just before. Seeing that, she ran about two more. Suddenly, the entire lava began to boil. As her body stiffened with tension, she took Ringzor from her arms without hesitation and leaped right away. ¡°Celine¡­!¡± Celine¡¯s time in the air was only fleeting. Meanwhile, a gigantic lump of burning coal rose from the lava, crashed into the rock where she had been a moment ago, and burned. ¡ªBang! As she cut a piece of coal with Ringzor, it exploded as it turned to ashes, and she fell to the ground. ¡®No¡­!¡¯ ¡­Could it be that she was careless? Celine landed, stumbling heavily and losing her balance. Her blue-gray eyes were filled with an intuition that she was going to be swallowed by lava. At that moment, two tight hands grabbed her. ¡°Le, Leonhard¡­¡± Celine gasped for breath. ¡°Didn¡¯t I say I would go first?¡± There was a glimpse of dissatisfaction in his voice, but in that voice, there was his care for her more than anyone else in the world. ¡°You don¡¯t know the way, right?¡± ¡°My eyes are not bad. Can¡¯t we just go over there next?¡± When Leonhard pointed to the rock on the right, Celine shook her head. ¡°It¡¯s over there.¡± His eyes widened before they hardened. It was obviously a rock that he had not seen until she pointed it out. ¡®¡­Did I see it wrong?¡¯ Celine shook her head as if she had guessed his thoughts. ¡°You won¡¯t see it until I tell you.¡± ¡°¡­I can¡¯t believe it.¡± Then, she gazed up at Leonhard, who frowned his brow with his mouth shut, and replied. ¡°You have to believe it.¡± __ Chapter 53 Celine anxiously waited for Leonhard¡¯s response. Even though he may or may not believe it, he had to accept it. She hadn¡¯t even reached half of the true ending route yet. If Leonhard couldn¡¯t accept the fact that she was the only one who could break the curse, she would have to pay a severe price. ¡°¡­Wouldn¡¯t the same thing just happen again?¡± ¡°You saw it. I can get rid of it.¡± ¡°And, you almost fell into lava.¡± ¡°¡­.¡± Celine thought, biting her lip, but she couldn¡¯t resist. ¡°Can¡¯t you teach me, and I have to cross over first?¡± ¡°That is¡­¡± She hesitated. It was because she didn¡¯t know the answer herself. So far, she had always cleared the stage before Leonhard. This was because if he reached the end of the stage first, there was no guarantee that she, who followed, would clear the stage. ¡®¡­It¡¯ll be fine if it¡¯s at the same time.¡¯ But, it was impossible for her to skip at the same time. It was a rock of such a small size that she felt a little uneasy if they were standing close together. Suddenly, Leonhard hugged her hesitatingly and lifted her up. ¡°Leonhard¡­!¡± Celine was horrified. His firm hands supported her shoulders and legs with stability, but the situation itself was burdensome. He was calm as if wondering what the problem was. ¡°There should be no problem with this, right? I think you just need to show me the direction.¡± ¡°But, but when a monster appears¡­!¡± ¡°Will there be any monsters?¡± ¡°¡­It was in my dreams.¡± ¡°Then, I¡¯ll drop you off when it comes out.¡± Celine wanted to get off immediately, but she stopped. ¡®Maybe, this is the best.¡¯ If it were Leonhard, he would be able to get through this stage well, even with holding her. Moreover, according to her memory, the section where she had to jump over rocks would end soon. In the end, she nodded her head and pointed to the rock she was supposed to go to, and he started running briskly rock and rock, holding her as if she was as light as feathers. ¡®¡­Uaah.¡® Celine swallowed the scream inside, and she clung to him. They must have run three or four more. Again, there was a lump of charcoal bouncing out of the lava. Leonhard immediately gently lowered her onto the rock and swung Rashir to blow up the coals. It happened in just a few seconds. Although she tried to thank him, instead of saying it, she smiled. Leonhard¡¯s clean face, covered in charcoal powder, had turned blacked. He hugged her again. ¡°Where next?¡± ¡°There¡­ Ah!¡± Celine let out an exclamation. Finally, there was a land that looked rather wide, not a rock where they could barely stand on one person. ¡°Is it over?¡± ¡°No. Careful. There¡¯s a monster¡­¡± The next moment, Leonhard landed on the ground and lowered Celine. At the same time, a huge shadow fell over them. ¡ªBoom! Celine blinked her eyes. The next moment, the monster that she thought would fall on her was shattered and scattered everywhere. ¡°It¡¯s nothing. Are the monsters here only on this level?¡± ¡°No.¡± Celine swallowed her saliva. ¡°Things made of lava will rush in.¡± ¡°Lava¡­?¡± Leonhard¡¯s face frowned. ¡°Really? No matter how much you can predict¡­¡± It was only natural that he did not believe her. After Celine had been in this world for several months, one thing was that the people here were not accustomed to the supernatural. It was surprising considering that magic and monsters were everywhere in their daily lives. Even Leonhard, who could be said to be the closest to magic, was the same. Celine shrugged her shoulders. ¡°Even if you don¡¯t believe it now, you will see it when you see it. Still, please believe this¡­ Never attack it.¡± ¡°What?¡± ¡°Neither Ringzor, nor Rashir, nor magic work. When attacked¡­¡± Celine¡¯s words got blurred. This was because, in the game, she remembered the character who ran into the lava monster without thinking, then got thrown into the fire. It turned out that the lava monsters were [ invincible ], enemies that were designed to take no damage from the system. Leonhard¡¯s eyes narrowed. ¡°Is it because it was in a dream?¡± ¡°No.¡± Celine shook her head. ¡°I died a few times.¡± ¡°¡­.!¡± She continued speaking while Leonhard was shocked and speechless, ¡°If you still have to attack¡­ Be honest, Leonhard. I will do it first.¡± ¡°What nonsense¡­¡± He could hardly escape from his astonishment, but Celine was sincere. ¡®If he attacks the lava monster prematurely, Leonhard will really die.¡¯ Celine gazed into the twinkling blue eyes as his face turned black with charcoal dust. ¡°Yes, I will die. If you really want to attack, see how I die and then decide.¡± ¡°¡­I will do as you will.¡± Celine sighed in relief. She wanted to avoid as much as possible as much when she melted into the lava and died. Eventually, they walked slowly over the ashes. ¡°Ack¡­!¡± Celine jumped up. The place that had been solid ground until a while ago was instantly extinguished, and lava filled up. Had it not been for Leonhard holding her, she would surely have fallen into the boiling lava. A cold sweat ran down her. ¡®I don¡¯t think there was anything like this in the game¡­¡¯ She tried to calm her beating heart and think calmly. ¡®It¡¯s just that I can¡¯t remember.¡¯ Even in the mansion, she died countless times. It was quite possible that the details of the stage in the middle got wrongly remembered. Celine started walking again as if nothing had happened. After a while. As she walked for quite a long time and wondered if the lava monster would not appear, the ground shook violently in all directions. Leonhard stopped immediately and pulled out Rashir. ¡°Go!¡± Celine grabbed his arm, and she started running. ¡°You promised! Do not attack!¡± ¡°Then, this is¡­¡± ¡°Yes, it¡¯ll appear soon.¡± As she had expected, less than a minute later, a giant lava monster blocked their way. Leonhard¡¯s body stiffened. It had been ten years since he has lived cutting down monsters and warlocks. Nevertheless, he had never seen such a daunting opponent before his eyes. At first, he thought it would simply be the size of a gigantic tree filled with lava rising from the ground. However, the facial features that emit light, the hands and feet that move freely, and the heat that seemed to melt even Rashir¡­ His hand automatically turned towards the hilt. ¡°Leonhard!¡± Celine¡¯s urgent voice reached his ears. ¡°Go here, here!¡± Celine was beckoning from a distance away from him. He didn¡¯t think of it anymore and ran towards her. ¡ªPoong! A huge fireball fell and exploded where he had been a while ago. ¡°If you get hit, I won¡¯t even be able to pick out the bones. Come on!¡± She was pointing between the legs of the lava monster. It was a decision she made against her instincts though she didn¡¯t have time to argue. Leonhard ran with Celine, hoping that she would indeed be the prophet. As soon as she wiped the drops of sweat from her forehead, a new lava monster appeared. Celine¡¯s eyes narrowed. Unlike the first lava monster, which had a human-like form, the second lava monster was in the form of a giant wolf. ¡°We have to run between the legs. Can you do it?¡± ¡°¡­I think you are more of a problem.¡± Celine smiled slightly. ¡°I have no problem.¡± She walked and ran for quite some time. Even though her legs should have hurt now, she still felt light, as if she was about to fly away. Thinking that, Celine casually glanced down at her shoes. ¡®If it weren¡¯t for this, I would have died sooner.¡¯ When she asked why ¡®Hermes¡¯ Shoes¡¯ was the stage reward, it was probably because of this stage. She then quickly entered the four legs of the lava wolf. There were small sparks all over the place though it was due to the shoes that she managed to avoid without too much trouble. Leonhard, on the other hand, had to wield Rashir to deflect the sparks. The distance naturally widened between them, but Celine concentrated her mind on passing the lava wolf, and she didn¡¯t notice it until she had completely escaped from it. ¡®¡­I need to slow down a bit.¡¯ Leonhard was still wielding Rashir, struggling with the lava falling from the wolf¡¯s belly. However, Celine wasn¡¯t worried. Since it was Leonhard, even if he were a little slower than her, he would get out without hurting a single hair. Ten minutes later. A smile appeared on her face as she saw him escape safely from the lava wolf, but then it was distorted. It was because a giant lava bird hit Leonhard. His body was engulfed in flames in an instant. ¡°LEONHARD¡­!¡± A tearful scream escaped Celine¡¯s mouth. ¡®This isn¡¯t it. This is not¡­!¡¯ Enemies on the stage were attacking Leonhard, not her, who was the real player and was ahead. Even he was the villain who tried to kill her in the first stage and in future stages. She immediately grabbed Ringzor and ran towards Leonhard. Now, his form was nowhere to be seen, only his form engulfed in flames and the massive wings that covered it. At that moment, a voice so familiar came from the fireball. ¡°Don¡¯t come close.¡± ¡°Leonhard!¡± A sense of relief filled Celine. His voice was calm, and there was no sign of pain. ¡®He is fine. Because after all, it¡¯s Leonhard¡­¡¯ However, at his words that followed immediately, she froze. ¡°Have that medicine ready.¡± Leonhard, who valued ??the healing potion very much, required it first in this situation. Hearing his words, Celine¡¯s body began to tremble. ¡°Are you hurt a lot?¡± ¡°¡­.¡± No answer was heard. At the moment when the huge bird-shaped fireball attacked, Leonhard made the best decision. He wrapped himself with Rashir as a shield instead of attacking it. It was a decision he could make because he trusted Celine more than he did. ¡®How much longer can I last?¡¯ While Celine shouted outside, he couldn¡¯t understand exactly what she was saying. He uttered only the necessary words. Don¡¯t come too close, and prepare the mysterious medicine she discovered. Ironically, in the midst of this heat, he realized what Celine meant to never attack the monsters. So far, there was no magic that Rashir could not neutralize. However, from these fireballs, he could not read any magic. He didn¡¯t even feel the evil energy that black magic should give off. There was only one conclusion. ¡­These were not magic. Chapter 54 If he had tried to cut through the fireball with Rashir, he would have been like a moth leaping into the fire. ¡®It¡¯s not that different now.¡¯ Leonhard scoffed. He had a rather relaxed attitude compared to the situation he was in, as he knew from the start that getting out of this situation wasn¡¯t too difficult. The lava monsters they encountered so far stood still and did not pursue them. Even this mass of lava would be easy to get out of if he was running at full speed. The problem was that he suffered burns all over his body. Leonhard tried to take a deep breath, grimacing at the heat that rushed into his body. He had no more time to delay. At the thought, he passed through the lava mass while taking Rashir, which had been blocking the heat as much as possible. ¡°Leonhard!¡± Celine screamed. As he stumbled out and was covered in bright red flames, Leonhard collapsed a few steps away from the flapping lava bird. Hot tears welled up in her eyes as Celine quickly grabbed him, ignoring the pain in her hands. She tried not to think about it as she opened the lid of the healing potion with her trembling hands. ¡®If he eats this, Leonhardt will be fine. If he eats this¡­¡¯ Fortunately, the flames went out quickly, probably because they had fallen off his body. However, his whole body was full of burn marks. His body was unharmed thanks to his thick winter clothes, but his bare face and hands were¡­ Celine didn¡¯t even think to wipe her flowing tears, and she poured the healing potion little by little into Leonhard¡¯s mouth. ¡®¡­Please, please.¡¯ Fortunately, the power of the healing potion was still there. Leonhard¡¯s face, which had been full of burns and blisters, gradually improved and became smoother than before he was attacked by the lava bird. Even his half-burned head returned to its original state. Still, the tears welling up in the blue-gray eyes did not stop. Very slowly, Leonhard¡¯s eyes opened. ¡°¡­Don¡¯t cry.¡± ¡°How can I not cry?¡± ¡°Still, don¡¯t cry. When I see you crying¡­¡± His blue eyes captured Celine inside and did not let her go. ¡°¡­Because it¡¯s more painful than burning in fire.¡± At his words, she wiped her tears with her hand, which was covered in soot. Leonhard inadvertently pulled his handkerchief out of his pocket. ¡°¡­.¡± There was silence for a while. The handkerchief was burnt down, leaving only the Bernoulli family pattern left. ¡°¡­That¡¯s great, this medicine.¡± ¡°Yes, it is.¡± Celine counted the number of healing potions left. ¡­Only four. If this happened over and over again, there would be none left. ¡®There will be a few more lava monsters.¡¯ Celine racked her brains, but she couldn¡¯t remember. It was obvious. Who the hell would remember how many monsters there were in the mid-stage of a game in which she had only seen the ending once months ago? At the thought, she bit her lip. So far, she had rushed forward without hesitation in this situation. ¡®¡­Not anymore.¡¯ Only then did she realize why she had been able to run and look ahead of her all this time. It was because there was Leonhard behind her. ¡®Why didn¡¯t I know that?¡¯ Celine knew the answer without difficulty. Leonhard was so perfect. How great was his presence that she didn¡¯t even notice¡­? ¡°Celine? Are you okay?¡± His worried voice seemed to make her burst into laughter. The person who was covered with a fireball just before was worried about her, who wouldn¡¯t die even if she died. ¡°It¡¯s okay.¡± ¡°As you can see, I am fine. You don¡¯t have to worry about me, so let¡¯s get going.¡± Although she hesitated, there was only one decision she could make. ¡®Yeah, staying here doesn¡¯t solve anything¡­¡¯ The longer they stay, the more likely they would be ambushed. Celine met Leonhard¡¯s eyes. ¡°¡­Thank you, Leonhard.¡± ¡°It was nothing.¡± They exited the lava field as fast as possible. Leonhard was in the best condition because he drank the healing potion, and Celine also had Hermes shoes, so she did not get tired no matter how much she ran. Fortunately, the surprise attack was the only one where Leonhardt suffered. After a long time, the flat land that had no end in sight came to an end, and they finally reached an ascent. ¡°Do I have to go up here?¡± Asking that, he glanced up at the Black Mountain. ¡°I do not know. Even in my dreams, I didn¡¯t come this far.¡± Celine hesitated. The sixth stage of the normal route, the lava field, should end now. However, from her experience so far, it didn¡¯t seem like the stage would end now. ¡°Leonhard, be careful¡­¡± Celine stopped her words. Leonhard, who was obviously just beside her, was not there. ¡°Leonhard!¡± Her blue-gray eyes looked around in fear, but Leonhard was nowhere to be seen. ¡°¡­.!¡± The blue sky, the contrasting gray land, the burning lava¡­ All of that was twisted together and began to mix into a jumbled mess. Her whole body trembled. She never saw anything like this while playing [ Celine¡¯s Nightmare ]. Celine slumped down to the ground, and her body fell into the ground. It was painful because the half-cooled lava burned her back. Where she was lying down¡­ It was the sky. She was engulfed in a piece of white cloud, and she plunged her face into the ashes in an instant. As she groaned in pain, Leonhard remained in her mind. ¡®Somehow, Leonhard¡­!¡± It was hard to imagine the level of despair and helplessness that Leonhard, who must have been in a similar situation to her, would feel. Celine tried to calm her tingling head. ¡®I have to deal with it. I¡­¡¯ Obviously, this was an event that only occurred in the true ending route. If so, there must be a way to clear it. Thinking so, she tried to stop her body from rolling from the sky to ashes and from ashes to lava, moment by moment. ¡®All right, all right¡­!¡¯ Fortunately, she was able to balance and stand on the ashes before her body was torn apart. The next moment, she looked around. Lava, the sky, and ashes continued to interlocking like a giant piece of patchwork. ¡®Ah¡­¡¯ Celine realized. Not in Celine¡¯s Nightmare though she had played this similar stage in other games. It was a stage where she had to walk only the right path while avoiding the traps. ¡®¡­Leonhardt must be up here, too.¡¯ ¡°Leonhard!¡± However, no answer came. She tried to look around, but there was only an endless piece of patchwork spread out. Her heart was pounding. ¡®No way¡­¡¯ ¡­Perhaps, Leonhardt disappeared into the lava earlier. Her legs began to tremble at the thought. ¡®¡­No, that wouldn¡¯t happen.¡¯ Celine rubbed the tears in her burning eyes. Leonhard couldn¡¯t die so easily. He must be looking for her somewhere in this endless piece of patchwork. So, she had to clear this stage as quickly as possible, even for him. Eventually, she took one step slowly from the ashes she was standing into the other ashes. ¡°¡­.!¡± The ashes turned to the sky as soon as she stepped on them. Celine leaned over and hit her butt in the ashes near her. Fortunately for her, the ashes this time did not turn into lava or sky. She patted her chest in surprise, looking at the differences, though couldn¡¯t find anything special. ¡°Huh¡­?¡± The ashes she was stepping now, which were clearly fine, began to turn into a flamboyant mush. Celine quickly jumped to the next ashes. Even though these ashes also turned to the lava as soon as she stepped on them, she was not hurt because she immediately leapt into another pile of ashes. She no longer had time to think about anything. Focusing only on stepping on all the ashes she saw before her eyes, her light footsteps, as soon as she stepped on one block, bounced straight to the other block. After a while, in spite of the fact that she was wearing ¡®Hermes shoes, her breathing was disturbed, and her whole body trembled. On the other hand, the patchwork still stretched endlessly. ¡®What, what should I do¡­¡¯ Tears fell to the ground, along with sweat. Right now, the actions that she was doing now were closer to overusing her body in order to die rather than clearing the stage. ¡®You have to think.¡¯ It was only a matter of time before she died while she was running around like this without thinking. She then gasped for breath and tried to peer around. ¡®¡­.?¡¯ The moment she accidentally glanced behind her, an unexpected sight caught her eye. All the blocks she had stepped on until now were all gathered and became the path to the volcano. At the same time, she felt relieved, and goosebumps rose. If she hadn¡¯t looked back, she would have only known that path after she died once. Celine quickly moved her legs over the path, and then she sat down. The black powder on the floor crumbled between her grips. ¡®Isn¡¯t it ashes?¡¯ It felt cold and moist to the touch. ¡­A soil that was hard and where life could grow. Celine got up enchanted, and she slowly made her way to the volcano, where she stood tall. ¡°Leonhard¡­?¡± Leonhard was definitely the man who was running through the ashes with a light movement, with his blue-colored Rashir. ¡°Leonhardt!¡± Celine screamed, squeezing all her strength. Leonhard was running, looking only in front, just like her before. Even though he was more calm and faster than her wearing ¡®Hermes¡¯ shoes, he was also human. Eventually, he would hit the limit. She shouted his name over and over again, hoping that he could hear her own voice. ¡®Please, please, look back. Leonhard¡­¡¯ However, her cry could not reach him because she was quite far away, and Leonhard quickly moved away from her. ¡®Think, Celine Hunt!¡¯ Her shouting till her throat broke didn¡¯t help. She had to come up with another way¡­ a way to let Leonhard know of her existence¡­! ¡®Ah!¡¯ Celine pulled Ringzor from her arms with trembling hands. What would be the surest way to let Leonhard know of her existence? She aimed Ringzor at Leonhard as accurately as possible, then she grabbed Ringzor¡¯s rampant magic and poured its full power into Leonhard. Of course, attack magic. It was inevitable because Ringzor, whose essence was a sword, could only be used as attack magic. ¡®Leonhard will be fine.¡¯ Clenching her teeth, she poured all of the magic in Ringzor at Leonhard. For an ordinary swordsman, it was so powerful that their whole body would be shattered in an instant. The effect was immediate. He turned his body half a turn and gracefully received her attack magic with Rashir. At that exact moment, their eyes met. Chapter 55 Chapter 55 ¡°Leonhard¡­!¡± Celine put Ringzor aside and waved widely as tears of relief filled the blue-gray eyes. After just a few minutes, Leonhard, gasping for breath, came to her. ¡°I¡­ you¡­¡± A few words came out of Leonhard¡¯s mouth. ¡°I, I am fine. Leonhard was suddenly out of sight¡­!¡± ¡°Really?¡± As he asked that, his body, which had been in a tense state, was noticeably stabilized. ¡°If you¡¯re okay, that¡¯s all right.¡± While Celine was holding her neck for a moment, he glace around her. ¡°Do I have to go up there?¡± ¡°¡­I don¡¯t know.¡± Her voice was drenched in exhaustion. Celina had told Leonhard several times that she didn¡¯t know. However, it was the first time she felt as ignorant of this world as she was now. ¡°Don¡¯t be disappointed. Being a prophet doesn¡¯t mean you can know every future.¡± ¡°¡­.¡± ¡°Most of the prophets I have seen have been scammers. More than half of your prophecies have been right so far, so have confidence.¡± ¡°Leonhard¡­¡± Celine looked into his sweat-drenched face. ¡°Thank you.¡± ¡°I would like to hear you say thank you in a normal sound.¡± She thought that those words should be hers, not Leonhard¡¯s, though she smiled instead of saying it. Seeing that, he extended her hand towards her. ¡°Get up. I want to get out of here as soon as possible.¡± Celine held Leonhard¡¯s firm hand tightly. It was such a strong hand that she had the urge to never let go of this hand again. After a while, they again reached an ascent. ¡°It¡¯s different from before.¡± As Leonhard looked bewildered, she was no different. It was because the mountain, which seemed like it could be climbed on foot, had suddenly now turned into a sheer cliff, soaring above the clouds instead. ¡°Going back¡­ It will be difficult.¡± The ground, which was like rags, turned into boiling lava, and there was nowhere to set foot on ashes. Celine bit her lip. ¡­There was only one option. ¡°I think we should go up there.¡± ¡°This¡­?¡± Leonhard walked over to the cliff and put his hand on it. The lava that flowed down seemed to be uneven, as if it had hardened, so it wasn¡¯t impossible to climb up. Still, as she climbed up, if Celine got exhausted and fell, she may die. ¡°Can¡¯t we go up while destroying this?¡± ¡°I don¡¯t know.¡± At that, Leonhard pulled Rashir out and carefully slammed it into the cliff. ¡°¡­.?¡± Rashir didn¡¯t make a single scratch on the cliff. Although he pushed in with more force, it was the same. ¡°I guess we just have to climb by hand.¡± ¡°Did you see that in your dream, too?¡± ¡°¡­No.¡± Leonhard wrestled with the cliff for a long time, but in the end, he didn¡¯t get what he wanted. ¡°I think your guess is correct.¡± Celine, who was well rested, approached the cliff. Her mind was muddled, thinking that she had to climb up the cliff so high that it was invisible because the tip was covered with clouds. But, they have reached the point of no return. They had to get through this hurdle somehow. ¡®¡­At least I¡¯m with Leonhard.¡¯ She recalled the despair when she realized that Leonhard wasn¡¯t with her. ¡°Do you have to go up here, too?¡± ¡°What?¡± ¡°If it¡¯s okay for me to go up alone¡­¡± Celine shook her head at his words. She would never know if she was going up alone, so Leonhard going up alone wouldn¡¯t do her any good. What¡¯s more, now that the stage was clearly out of what she already knew, it was better not to venture out. ¡°I think¡­ I think we should both go up.¡± Without further hesitation, she stepped into the crevice of the cliff. Leonhard also tried to climb up the cliff right next to her, but he hesitated for a while. ¡®Ah¡­¡¯ Celine realized. It was the same as when she came skipping the lava pit. This time, the way up the cliff was only visible to her. She thought that, of course, but was met with Leonhard¡¯s backlash. ¡°If you go first, and meet a monster¡­!¡± ¡°I have a Ringzor too. I can do a little bit of guarding myself. And¡­¡± A smile appeared on Celine¡¯s face that Leonhard couldn¡¯t see as she continued, ¡°¡­I feel more confident that Leonhard has my back.¡± ¡°¡­.¡± Leonhard sighed and climbed the cliff, stepping behind her. After a while. Celine had reached such a height that she felt scared that she would get hurt if she fell. The time when she confidently held on to the crack as she could see it was over and cold sweats began to form on her temples. ¡°What¡¯s wrong?¡± ¡°Oh, no. I¡¯m a little tired.¡± ¡°Go slowly.¡± Celine took a slow, deep breath in her batting heart, trying to calm it down. It was because the moment her hands or legs trembled and she fell, she would plunge herself. She glanced up slowly. ¡®¡­I can definitely climb up more.¡¯ All the cracks in her eyes seemed easy to climb. At the thought, she started moving again. After a long while, a new set of challenges arose as she approached in half-trance. ¡°¡­.!¡± Her blue-gray eyes widened, and she trembled in fear. It was because a smooth cliff appeared that she could not possibly climb. While there were clefts of rocks and clumps of hardened lava scattered around her that she was able to hold on to and climb, it seemed that she would risk her life to move in the current situation without any safety equipment. Still, she couldn¡¯t come down now. If she went down, where would she go¡­? Celine glanced down. Under her was Leonhard, who followed her steadily, and a cliff so high that she could barely see the bottom of it continued. ¡°Leonhard¡­¡± ¡°What¡¯s the matter?¡± ¡°I can¡¯t go up.¡± ¡°Celine.¡± Leonhard¡¯s voice didn¡¯t look like he was bewildered, nor did he show any fear. Rather, it was a cold, stern voice, nothing different from his usual voice. ¡°Believe in your abilities.¡± Suddenly, a self-sneering laugh swelled in Celine¡¯s stomach. ¡­Ability? In the present, she had no ability. There was only Ringzor¡¯s power that Leonhard had bestowed upon him by the Emperor, and her memories from the gameplay where she tricked him in the name of prophecy¡­ ¡°¡­Really, I can¡¯t go up.¡± She could feel Leonhard lift his neck slightly and look over her. ¡°I think we can go up high enough.¡± ¡°Can, can you see it¡­?¡± ¡°Yes. Can¡¯t you go over there?¡± At the end of Leonhard¡¯s chin gesture, there was a mass of lava that she could only catch by throwing her body. ¡°I, I feel like I¡¯m going to fall¡­¡± ¡°I¡¯ll catch you. Isn¡¯t that why I¡¯m behind you?¡± ¡°Then, Leonhard¡­!¡± ¡°Don¡¯t belittle me. Because I can climb even with you on my back.¡± Celine closed her eyes tightly and opened them. ¡®¡­Leonhard is right.¡¯ If she couldn¡¯t go down, she had to go up somehow. Despite that, she didn¡¯t want to risk her life and throw her body. More than dying, she feared that if she died, she would have to come up here again from the beginning. Celine fumbled her hands here and there. ¡®¡­There is a gap.¡¯ Although it was hard to see with the naked eye, she felt a gap she could hold with her fingers. Celine cautiously removed her left foot and began to rub against the cliff for an invisible crack in her eyes. She moved as she slowly climbed up the wall slowly, but stably. Things were a little easier for Leonhard. He instinctively found the gaps that she had not been able to find, and he was climbing side by side with her. Her tight breathing gradually returned to its place, and they began to climb at a rapid pace. Finally, the flat ground was strewn at her fingertips, and she clenched her teeth, lifting her scruffy body up. ¡®It¡¯s cool¡­¡¯ There was a light mist over the cliff, and the cool, moist air was felt. But, there was no time to enjoy the moisture. Celine glanced down at the dizzying cliff to help Leonhard. She didn¡¯t dare disturb him by yelling, but she wanted to let him know that she had finally reached the end. ¡°¡­.!¡¯ Exactly at that moment, the cliff that Leonhard was holding quickly collapsed. She was so shocked that she didn¡¯t even scream. A mixture of astonishment and horror, her whole body trembled and her stomach rumbled. Celine barely came to her senses and looked down to see that Leonhard was hanging on to the collapsed cliff with Rashir nailed to it. She was not in a position to be relieved that he did not fall. His hands, which were white at the knuckles from holding the hilt, showed how much pressure Leonhard was under. ¡®If he were okay, he would have reassured me.¡¯ However, he didn¡¯t say a word now. There were two possibilities¡­ It was hard enough to spit out a word, or he had nothing to say. Celine touched her forehead with her trembling hand. ¡®What¡­ what should I do.¡¯ She couldn¡¯t think of a single way to save Leonhard. Ringzor, unlike Rashir, could only be used for attack. In the current situation, an attack would only make Leonhardt more endangered. ¡­Magic. The word that popped into her head at first glance seemed to make her laugh. Of course, if she had magic, saving Leonhard would be a breeze. However, now that she was caught in the rebound, the thought of magic was nothing but a futile regret. Although she knew it all too well, Celine could not stop her thoughts of magic. Her longing for the power to save Leonhard grew in an instant, and it took control of Celine and would not let her go. ¡®If only I could use magic¡­!¡¯ Celine¡¯s eyes filled with tears that she didn¡¯t know how many times it was now. She came here to unravel Leonhard¡¯s grim future. Nonetheless, on the contrary, that move was threatening his life even more. All these decisions were made by her, and she was responsible for the current situation. ¡­Regardless, she couldn¡¯t do anything. It was because she was just an incompetent who couldn¡¯t even be called a wizard because there was the rebound from the warlock. ¡®Leonhard will die. Because of me¡­¡¯ Click. It felt like something was breaking in her head. Goosebumps erupted from her head to her toes, and strength filled her entire body. Celine knew what this feeling was, and she knew better than anyone. Her magic power was filling her whole body. She moved before she could even think of why and how she did it. In an instant, a colossal ice staircase grew from her feet, where she stood, to the cliff on which Leonhard hung. The magic engulfed her like a mighty whirlwind, giving her a shield and her spear. However, now, all that mattered to her was that she had saved him with her magic. Leonhard looked in disbelief and ran up the stairs to reach Celine, who was shaking. ¡°Celine¡­¡± She hugged Leonhard before he could speak his words. Chapter 56 Chapter 56 Celine stood still, feeling Leonhard¡¯s warmth and strength. Her heart slowly sank as she ran as if being chased by an enemy she could never escape. ¡®That¡¯s what it was¡­¡¯ Every time she hugged him as if confirming her own survival, she didn¡¯t really understand the feeling. However, at this moment, Celine could understand why she had grabbed Leonhard so much in the meantime. She, too, was relieved only after feeling his warmth and pounding heart. Leonhard, feeling a bit stiff, pulled out of his arms and opened his mouth. ¡°Congratulations on the release of your recoil.¡± ¡°Yes? Ah¡­¡± Celine then realized what she had just done. She didn¡¯t need to check again. The free-moving magic showed that the shackles the warlock had left in exchange for death had been unleashed. ¡°I didn¡¯t know it could be released so easily.¡± Even though Leonhard was pure admiration, she couldn¡¯t just be happy. ¡°¡­I thought Leonhard was going to die.¡± ¡°Me?¡± Leonhardt raised one eyebrow as if surprised before opening his mouth again. AD ¡°I didn¡¯t know I was so unreliable.¡± ¡°Still, if you fall there¡­!¡± ¡°If I had only died because of that much, I would have lost my life at the hands of warlocks earlier.¡± ¡°¡­.¡± ¡°So, next time, you don¡¯t have to tremble like that.¡± Celine realized that she was still trembling slightly. ¡®Leonhard couldn¡¯t have died in the first place¡­¡¯ Her legs lose strength as she thought so to herself. The next moment, she flopped down on the ground. Leonhard was greatly surprised and supported Celine. ¡°Are, are you okay?¡± ¡°¡­Yes.¡± She quickly got up. AD ¡°Wait, I¡¯m just relieved.¡± ¡°That¡¯s good to hear.¡± After saying that, he glanced around. Even though it was still foggy, it wasn¡¯t difficult to see because the fog was thin. A path narrow enough for a couple of people to walk side by side was leading somewhere from the cliff. ¡°We have to walk over there¡­ Celine?¡± Leonhard¡¯s face hardened when she saw Celine, who was suddenly bewildered for no reason. ¡°What¡¯s wrong?¡± ¡°Leonhard.¡± She raised one arm to him. Her sleeves went down little by little, and in place was a little dragon that had been sleeping as if dead since she lost her magic¡­ ¡®¡­.?¡¯ Leonhard blinked. At the same time, the dragon blinked as if to match him. ¡°Did it¡­ wake up?¡± ¡°The sleeping dragon has awakened.¡± Celine nodded in an answer. Although it sounded like an irrelevant answer at first glance, Leonhard wasn¡¯t stupid enough to forget the contents of the parchment that she had shown him. ¡°¡­That was about it. Of course, I thought it was talking about volcanoes.¡± Instead of answering, she rummaged through her pocket and pulled out the parchment. [ Wake up the dragon¡¯s sleep. ] There was a red line that had not been seen until yesterday. As if the completed quests were displayed in the game. ¡®Did this really mean Lou¡­¡¯ Celine didn¡¯t believe the little dragon that was fluttering its tongue, so she checked again and again. It was just a coincidence that she hatched Lou. However, she could not believe that the quest she was doing that was key to advancing on the true ending route was related to it. ¡®I wonder if Lou was part of the stage¡­¡¯ Unlike Celine, who was greatly surprised by this, Leonhardt responded as if it was nothing. ¡°Now that the recoil is released, it is natural for it to wake up.¡± ¡°¡­Is that so.¡± She slipped the parchment into her pocket, looking a bit discomforted. Though she wanted to think a little more, there was no time to waste on the edge of the foggy cliff. Since she hadn¡¯t heard the music yet, that meant she hadn¡¯t finished the third stage of the true ending route. They immediately started walking on the road. Celine had guessed the destination of the road, but she was not sure, so she closed her mouth. ¡®After the volcano, it must have been a deserted village.¡¯ Abandoned houses filled with dust appeared as all the residents had left their homes. Nonetheless, the situation was quite different from the game. She thought that something other than the abandoned village might appear. They walked a distance. A huge flagpole appeared in the mist. The flag, which would have indicated which fiefdom the territory belonged to, was tattered and the pattern could not be recognized. Leonhard frowned. AD ¡°I can¡¯t believe there is a village in a place like this?¡± If there was a village in an uninhabited volcano, rumors must have spread. ¡°I guess it¡¯s because it¡¯s a completely isolated place.¡± Celine glanced around and turned completely rigid. ¡°Did you see it in a dream?¡± ¡°¡­Yes.¡± Leonhard was relieved. It was because he knew for sure today that Celine was extremely anxious when she encountered situations that she had not seen in her dreams. ¡°Listen carefully. As soon as we enter, monsters will attack.¡± ¡°It¡¯s not like we can¡¯t attack again this time.¡± ¡°Yes. You can cut them down as you like.¡± A smile crept across Leonhard¡¯s lips. ¡°Nice to hear that.¡± AD As Celine had said, as soon as they entered the abandoned village, the monsters rushed in droves. She took a deep breath once, then gathered her magic and set fire to the monsters. Leonhard sighed in admiration. ¡°It didn¡¯t get rusty at all.¡± ¡°Because it wasn¡¯t long since I got caught in the recoil.¡± It felt like a long time with so many things going on, but it was only about a fortnight that she had the recoil. If it had been a few months, it might have been rusty for quite a bit. Still, to Celine, it felt like the sprinter had left the sandbags and trailed off. Freed from her shackles, she ran like her own world. ¡ªHuurrr! Before Rashir could even touch the monsters, Celine¡¯s flame burned the monsters around Leonhard. A blue flame blazed right near Leonhardt¡¯s skin. Leonhardt looked at Celine with a slightly startled face. AD ¡®It¡¯s not like her skills were rusting.¡¯ Celine had improved her skills significantly as she had been practicing magic for quite a while. Before being caught in the recoil, she used powerful magic based on her abundant magical power. However, compared to her power, she lacked delicacy, so she could not use detailed magic. On the other hand, now, she used delicate magic skillfully enough for him to feel that the current she was a different wizard than she was at the time. Leonhard soon realized the reason. ¡®Ringzor.¡¯ As for Celine, who had been using Ringzor, she had learned the detailed flow of magic. The shackles gave her wings of skill. ¡°Aren¡¯t you planning on using Ringzor?¡± Leonhard asked as he swung Rashir, drawing a giant swing with it. Celine, who had her back to him, smiled and wiped away the hordes of monsters in front of her. ¡°I don¡¯t think it¡¯s necessary at all now. Leonhardt can use it.¡± ¡°Originally, magic tools like Ringzor are mainly used by wizards. Try using it.¡± Puzzled, Celine frowned a little, but she didn¡¯t refuse it. She pulled out Ringzor from her arms, which she was now quite familiar with, and aimed it at the monster. ¡°Oh¡­?¡± An exclamation mixed with doubts flowed from her mouth. Ringzor, which felt like a wild beast when used during her a state of recoil, moved like her limbs. The monsters that came into her sight could be slain in an instant without using her innate magic. ¡°As expected.¡± Leonhard smiled satisfactorily when he saw the monsters burned precisely at the vital points. ¡°Why, why is it so different?¡± ¡°These things have a bad heart. Only people who can subdue it with magical powers are considered their true masters, and it will follow them.¡± ¡°¡­So Ringzor hasn¡¯t thought of me as its master until now.¡± ¡°I thought you knew.¡± She couldn¡¯t deny Leonhard¡¯s words. Until the recoil was released, Ringzor felt like a ferocious dog that never knew when it would bite her finger. While wielding this power himself, it was true that she often felt fear instead. ¡°Now, Ringzor is completely yours. Congratulations.¡± Celine blankly peered into the small, iridescent dagger, and she barely came to her senses. It wasn¡¯t the time to be obsessed with power. Since they were still in a village covered in a light fog. As long as she didn¡¯t hear the music signaling the end of the stage, she had to keep going. ¡®¡­Come to think of it, something else ran into me here.¡¯ She tried so hard to think of the thing that gave her a headache, but she failed. ¡°What¡¯s wrong?¡± ¡°Something else is there. But, I can¡¯t remember her properly¡­¡± Leonhard placed his hand on her shoulder carefully. ¡°Don¡¯t worry. Is there anything worse than a volcano? At the very least, it would be a boss monster.¡± ¡°¡­.¡± She couldn¡¯t agree with him this time around. Even though it was an enemy with a whitish presence, it was definitely not an ordinary monster. ¡°Careful.¡± ¡°It¡¯s always been like that, isn¡¯t it?¡± ¡°Lies, you like it, right?¡± Leonhard smiled sheepishly and stirred the fog with his hand. ¡°It¡¯s strange. We didn¡¯t come up to a particularly high altitude, so why is it so foggy?¡± It was only then that Celine noticed that her vision was completely obscured. Right now, she couldn¡¯t even see the old houses covered in dust and the rusty furniture lying on the streets. They could barely see what was right in front of them. Using her magic to create the brightest light possible, it was to no avail in the thick fog. ¡®This, too, is different from the game.¡¯ She hardly remembered this stage, but she would have remembered it if the fog was so thick that the players could not see. Goosebumps rose. Of course, there were several differences in reality from the game until today. Considering that it was a true ending route that she had never played before, it was acceptable enough, so she did not have any questions about it. However, today was the first time that the contents of the stage itself changed like this. ¡°Would you like to go back?¡± Leonhard asked carefully. ¡°No.¡± One thing was certain, [ Celine¡¯s Nightmare ] was a forward-looking game. Like climbing the cliff, there was no going back. At the thought, Celine clung to Leonhard. She was afraid that the fog would be so thick that they would get separated. ¡ªKiik! They stopped at the same time. Goosebumps ran down Celine¡¯s back. ¡ªKiik! It sounded like someone scratching a blackboard with their fingernails. ¡ªKiik! As the sound kept getting closer to them, he took out Rashir and Celine took Ringsor. Suddenly, he stopped in front of Celine and whispered. It was one of Leonhard¡¯s voices that Celine had ever heard that was most urgent. ¡°No matter what you see or hear, don¡¯t make it obvious.¡± ¡°What¡­?¡± ¡°That¡¯s a ghost.¡± Chapter 57 Chapter 57 The blue-grey eyes fluttered in fear. ¡®¡­A ghost.¡¯ When Celine first arrived at Bernoulli Castle, she recalled Leonhard¡¯s reaction to ghosts. ¡®He has never heard of the rumor, so I treated it like it was nothing.¡¯ But now, a ghost. ¡°Leonhard, what is that¡­¡± ¡°Shh.¡± The next moment, he pulled Celine to hide her in his arms. All sorts of thoughts ran through her mind. Perhaps, Leonhardt was deeply mistaken. The abandoned village was one of the stages she cleared in ? Celine¡¯s Nightmare ?, and she probably knows better than Leonhard himself. Still, she did not move or speak in his arms, as he had wanted. ¡®Leonhard won¡¯t say it for nothing.¡¯ When he behaved like that, it meant that he must have his own reasons and convictions. Celine¡¯s whole body tensed. ¡ªScreeecchh! The horrifying sound came again, now only a few steps away from them. Her body was trembling instinctively, but thanks to Leonhard, who was standing calmly without moving, Celine was able to calm it down quickly. ¡ªThud! She dazedly hit her face towards the ground. It was because all of a sudden, Leonhard pushed her away. Celine immediately kicked the ground and stood up, and looked towards him. Even if she fell, it was right nearby. Leonhard¡¯s figure caught her eye immediately. ¡®¡­.?¡¯ Leonhard was wielding Rashir. Rashir drew the most spectacular trajectory of movements she had ever seen, but the opponent was neither seen nor felt. ¡ªScreeecchh! For a moment, Celine was terrified and almost screamed. The sound was piercing her ear as if scratching a blackboard with the nails, and it came from exactly where Leonhardt was. It was only then that she realized that Leonhard was not simply wielding Rashir at an unseen enemy, wrapped in a pure white mist. It wrapped around his whole body, and even if it was split by Rashir for a moment, the white mass that immediately merged was not a fog no matter how. That would be the ghost Leonhardt spoke of and the enemy of this stage. ¡°Le¡­¡± Celine bit her mouth to call Leonhard, then she slowly rekindled her memories of what the enemy in this abandoned village was. ¡®¡­It was a ghost here, too.¡¯ The player must avoid the whitish ghost and pass through the stage by picking up various items. Unlike the ghosts of the Hidden Stage, the ghosts here had little presence as they were nothing more than masses with no particular shape, but in terms of danger, they were no less than the enemies of other stages. The moment the player came into contact with the ghost, the player¡¯s stamina wore out at an alarming rate, reaching a dead end. ¡®Then, Leonhard¡­!¡¯ At the thought, cold sweat trickled down Celine¡¯s forehead, already soaked with sweat as she had already crossed the lava field. Leonhard would not die as easily as her, who was weak in the game. Nonetheless, how long would he be able to survive like that? ¡®I have to do something.¡¯ Gone were the days when she was helpless due to the recoil. Celine had regained her magic, and now she had completely mastered even Ringzor. ¡®Yes, there¡¯s Lingzor¡­!¡¯ Celine recalled how she felt when she had caught Ringzor and cast a spell a while ago as if shooting a cannon right in front of the target¡ªwith sharpness and power. The next moment, she slowly pulled Ringzor from her arms. ¡®I can¡¯t let that notice me.¡¯ In the game, her knowledge of the ghosts she had been avoiding was zero. So, she had no choice but to rely on Leonhard¡¯s whispers of his brief knowledge. ¡®He told me not to make it obvious.¡¯ Celine focused her mind only on Leonhardt. It wasn¡¯t difficult. Leonhard, who was at first glance visible through the ghost, was clearly visible in her eyes. Blue eyes that seem detached and piercing through enemies, a sculpted nose and jawline, broad chest, long, strong legs¡­ Soon enough, the white lump had disappeared from Celine¡¯s mind. She could tell that the time was now. Taking Ringzor swiftly from her arms, she muttered as she was aiming at Leonhard. ¡®I¡¯m sorry, Leonhard. But since it¡¯s you, can you do it without hurting a single strand of hair?¡¯ Ringzor rejoiced at the command of its true master and began to reveal all the power it possessed. Celine felt that the magic, which she had originally possessed, and the magic sleeping in Ringzor were slowly merging. The enormous energy began to radiate at high speed from her fingertips to Ringzor¡¯s hilt¡ªfrom the hilt to the tip of the sword, and from the tip of the sword to Leonhard. ¡®Leonhard¡­!¡¯ She tried to calm her urge to call Leonhard. Because if she did, it would just tell the ghost of her existence, location, and even plans to destroy the ghost. ¡ªScreeeeeeccccchhhh! The moment the energy reached Leonhard, there was an unusually creepy sound. However, Celine focused her mind only on his strong hands and Rashir. Since Rashir was accustomed to passing her magic without a single wave, Leonhard¡¯s hand holding it didn¡¯t look difficult at all. After a while. ¡ªRattle! Celine dropped Ringzor while panting for breath as she sat down. All the power in her body was drained out, making it difficult to even breathe. A tear spurted from her eyes as she lost her strength. ¡°Celine.¡± Suddenly, a familiar figure squatted in front of her and supported her body with tender hands. ¡°Leonhard¡­ That, how¡ª¡± ¡°If it¡¯s hard, don¡¯t speak. It ran away, so rest assured.¡± ¡°¡­What a relief.¡± Celine smiled weakly. Seeing her like that, Leonhard whispered into her ear in a voice that seemed to be choked for some reason. ¡°Really, you¡¯ve gotten stronger.¡± ¡°Are you hurt?¡± ¡°I thought I might get hurt, for a moment.¡± At those words, Celine flinched for a moment. Though realized soon after that Leonhard did not scold her, but rather, his expression was admiring her and was relieved at the same time, and she smiled slightly. ¡°What is¡­ a ghost?¡± Leonhard paused for a moment. ¡°I¡¯ve only dealt with it once, but¡­ No, this is the second time.¡± Even though she suddenly wondered about the ghost that Leonhard had dealt with before today, Celine didn¡¯t ask. It must have been a painful experience. ¡°They are no different from monsters either. It kills all life.¡± ¡°But, I didn¡¯t feel an evil energy or stench.¡± Celine pointed out her doubts. If it had a pungent stench like the boss monster or exuded evil energy enough to subdue the atmosphere like a warlock, she would have been much more wary. However, the ghost only made a creepy sound. ¡°Yes, that¡¯s the saddest thing.¡± ¡°What¡­?¡± ¡°They were all once human.¡± ¡°¡­.!¡± Her body hardened, and she trembled. ¡°It¡¯s surprising.¡± Of course, Leonhard seemed to think that Celine was simply surprised. ¡®¡­Natasha.¡¯ Then, she remembered Leonhardt¡¯s younger siblings and the escort maids, who rushed to kill the player in the game. ¡®It was like that.¡¯ In the meantime, Celine had been thinking that ghosts did not really exist in this world¡­ But, within five years, no four years. Leonhard would turn into a killer with red eyes, and Natasha, the maids, and the youngest son of the Grand Ducal couple, would turn into ghosts. ¡°How, how do you become a ghost? Warlocks are fallen wizards, but¡­ Are ghosts also corrupt people?¡± As soon as Celine put the guess out of her mouth, she realized she was wrong. It may be for Natasha and the escort maids. However, could an ordinary boy who appeared to be about five years old, not even having the magical qualities of Baron Elmer¡¯s son, be totally corrupted¡­? Leonhard sighed. ¡°I¡¯m not sure since the ghosts themselves are rare. Still, what has been reported so far has something in common.¡± Celine¡¯s heart pounded so hard that her chest ached. ¡°Everyone was so obsessed that they couldn¡¯t close their eyes even in death.¡± ¡°That, kind of¡­¡± ¡°Mainly, it was an obsession to protect the living. Family, parents, lover¡­ The subject has been variously reported.¡± He paused for a moment, then hesitantly continued, ¡°The human that the ghost I had slain before was supposed to protect a young grandchild. The ghost went crazy and killed everyone who came near the grandchild.¡± ¡°¡­.¡± ¡°It is right for the dead to rest in peace in their graves. For themselves and for the living.¡± ¡°Leonhard¡­¡± Although Celine knew it was going to feel out of place, she called him in a trembling voice. It was because she had seen how much Leonhard loved his two younger siblings. ¡®Maybe, he went crazy because he couldn¡¯t annihilate his siblings or leave them alone.¡¯ Her mouth went bitter at the speculation. ¡®¡­Calm down, you¡¯re here to stop it.¡¯ Celine grabbed Leonhard and stood up. ¡°Come on.¡± ¡°Where?¡± ¡°¡­.¡± While fighting the ghost, they even lost their direction. Celine closed her eyes tightly and recalled the items she had to pick up at this stage. In fact, she mostly used items to avoid or defend ghosts, so it seemed to be of no use now that she had already faced them. ¡®¡­Ah.¡¯ Among them, there were items that she must find to clear the stage. As she entered the largest building in the abandoned village, there were human bones scattered in a mess in the corner. If she picked up the bones and put them in the shape of a person lying down, the ghosts no longer chased them, and the door to the next stage would open. ¡°We have to find the biggest building here.¡± ¡°It¡¯s so foggy. How can we find it?¡± ¡°That¡­¡± Suddenly, something flashed in Celine¡¯s mind. The roof of the building had a huge iron ornament. ¡®¡­Iron reflects light.¡¯ She immediately picked up Ringzor that had fallen on the floor. ¡®¡­.?¡¯ In Ringsor, she felt a little bit like human emotions. A smirk came out. Ringzor was protesting after getting itself thrown on the floor. ¡°Sorry.¡± ¡°What did you say?¡± ¡°Nothing.¡± Celine gripped Ringzor and stretched her arms out before aiming at a straight position. Then, she gathered all her remaining power to create a bright light. ¡°Leonhard, do you have good eyes?¡± ¡°Not bad.¡± ¡°Then, look. Is there any place that reflects this light?¡± Saying so, she turned around slowly. Celine had to clench her teeth and squeeze out her magic because she had already exhausted almost all of her magic in chasing away the ghost earlier. ¡°There.¡± The moment she heard Leonhard¡¯s excited voice, she stopped her movement and narrowed her eyes. Somewhere in the distance, in the mist, a gigantic iron eagle shone majestically. __ Chapter 58 Celine exhaled heavily as she approached the iron eagle. ¡°Are you okay? If we take a break¡­¡± ¡°It¡¯s okay, it¡¯s okay.¡± Even though Leonhard repeatedly asked her to take a break, each time, she shook her head. If the ghost came upon them again, she would be nothing more than a burden, far from helping. So, she had to align the bones as quickly as possible to shake off the ghost. ¡°Le¡ª!¡± Celinescreamed, startled by his face as he suddenly drew closer to her titled body. Leonhard spoke to her calmly, holding her in his arms stably. ¡°It¡¯s not surprising, but seeing that you¡¯re surprised, it looks like you¡¯re not feeling very well. When we get out of here, take the week off.¡± ¡°¡­What if a ghost comes?¡± ¡°I¡¯ll throw it. Like before.¡± ¡°¡­.¡± She couldn¡¯t laugh because she knew it was never a joke. ¡°Are you very unwell? As expected, we should take a break¡­¡± ¡°I¡¯m okay!¡± Celine shouted, covering her face with her hands. She couldn¡¯t get her mind off the look on Leonhard¡¯s face as he drew closer with concern. The lava zone was better for her. At that time, her life was in danger every moment. However, he was now completely focused on her, and she seemed to go crazy with embarrassment. ¡°Just, let¡¯s go¡­¡± While he seemed a little puzzled, Leonhard agreed with her words that the time was of importance. He immediately started running while holding Celine. ¡®¡­He runs well.¡¯ Celine thought blankly as she was held in Leonhardt¡¯s arms. She may be light, but she was still a grown woman. After struggling all day, it would be a burden to hold her and run with her. Nonetheless, Leonhardt ran without a moment¡¯s rest and reached the large building adorned with a giant iron eagle. ¡°Is this right?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± She nodded her head. Because it was a stage with not much presence, the details she couldn¡¯t remember well came to life when she actually saw it. ¡°There will be bones in this. If we align it right before the ghost catches us, it¡¯s done.¡± The huge door was locked, so he had to smash it with Rashir. ¡®Originally, I needed a key to get in here.¡¯ The door broke into shards, and Celine jumped over the door and entered. There was a vast hall and several doors. ¡®It was in the hall.¡¯ Glancing around for a while, she was looking for the bones. The hall was full of old furniture and all sorts of other things, so it was not easy to find something. Celine lifted the moldy duvet when she found a pile of firewood infested with bugs and frowned. ¡°Is it that?¡± Leonhard pointed his finger at the sofa where the cushion fell. As she approached slowly, she could see the bones of a person who had turned yellow and scattered untidy. ¡°We have to align it.¡± ¡°To make it to its original form?¡± At that, she nodded her head and picked up the shin bone. Since she was in a hurry, Celine didn¡¯t even feel disgusted or fear. However, the moment she tried to align the shin bone with another bone, her head went white. ¡®Is this the shin bone right¡­?¡¯ In the game, a solid line was drawn like a puzzle, so all she had to do was fit it inside. But, it was different now. She had to put everything in the right place, relying on her senses and knowledge. Still, all Celina had seen was the bones of those who died thousands of years ago in the museum, a few times at best. ¡°May I?¡± ¡°Yes, yes!¡± Leonhard immediately snatched what was supposed to be the shin bone from Celine¡¯s hand and then began to align the bone with speed. ¡®¡­Wow.¡¯ Celine gazed at him in astonishment. About ten minutes passed, and on the sofa laid the well-arranged bone. All of a sudden, a whitish mass flowed through the shattered door. As she immediately avoided it, Leonhard pulled Rashir from his waist. Despite that, the ghost didn¡¯t attack any of them. Suddenly, she realized. ¡®¡­It was here to find its bones.¡¯ She couldn¡¯t remember if there was an event like this. Still, the ghost¡¯s movements looked like it was embracing its bones. Very slowly, the shape of the ghost, which looked like a chunk of mass, became transparent. When Celine was exhausted and sat on the floor, the ghost had completely disappeared. Leonhard swung Rashir a little at the place where the ghost had been a while ago. ¡°It¡¯s completely gone.¡± ¡°¡­It must not have been able to rest because it could not find its bones.¡± ¡°I don¡¯t know.¡± He could not agree with Celine. A normal obsession wouldn¡¯t result in a ghost. The cases he had seen so far have been cases where they became a ghost because they couldn¡¯t bear bitter regrets. If a person who simply couldn¡¯t find their body becomes a ghost, the world would be full of dead ghosts. ¡°Anyway, we¡¯re done with what I¡¯m doing here.¡± Celine slowly walked out of the hall. ¡°Look, Leonhard. It¡¯s sunlight!¡± The hazy fog seemed to have disappeared with the ghost, and the sky was clear and blue without a speck like winter. Celine closed her eyes, enjoying the sunlight. She could feel neither the heat of the lava field nor the unusual moisture of the mist. She knew instinctively. There was no music, so it looked like the third stage of True Ending wasn¡¯t over yet. Nevertheless, at least what had to be done in this abandoned village was over. ¡°¡­Something is strange.¡± At those words, she opened her eyes and looked at Leonhard and got terrified. After the mist lifted, all around were tombs. The narrow path they walked through in the mist was the only space without a tomb, while the rest of the land in the abandoned village was full of tombs without a single cross, let alone tombstones. ¡°This¡­ this is all¡­¡± Celine was stunned. She had no memory of seeing these graves in the game. ¡®No, I saw it¡­!¡¯ Celine recalled images of these muddy mounds in her faint memories. Still, it was drawn with simple graphics, and it didn¡¯t even have a tombstone so she thought it was a simple background. ¡°I should take a closer look.¡± Saying so, Leonhard started walking along the road and Celine quickly caught up with him. Seeing him, who would have slowed down in consideration of her, walking fast, the situation looked grave. Ten minutes later. They glanced around quite a few places but found no land without a tomb. Leonhard stopped in an area where there were a lot of tombs before looking around for a while. Unlike other tombs, the tombs here had quite neat headstones embedded one by one. ¡®¡­No.¡¯ There was a sudden realization. At first, this was just a cemetery. All other tombs were nothing more than places where the dead were buried. ¡°¡­Was there a war?¡± ¡°If it¡¯s a war, they can¡¯t bury each one like this. The winner would have gathered the losers together and burned them down.¡± Leonhard answered firmly and looked at the tombstones one by one. ¡°I think¡­ It must have been an epidemic.¡± Celine read the epitaph that Leonhard was looking at. There, a single line was engraved along with the name on the rough stone. [ Be healthy in heaven. ] ¡°This¡­¡± Instead of answering, he pointed to the nearby tombstones one by one. The blue-gray eyes widened. ¡°It¡¯s all the same.¡± ¡°Yes. To die of this disease at the same time¡­ It could only be an epidemic. The fact that there is only one line means that there were too many deaths at the same time.¡± Leonhard turned his back slowly before beckoning Celine. ¡°Come on, let¡¯s go.¡± ¡°Then, that person¡­¡± Even though she did not refer to it as a ghost or a skeleton, he knew who Celine was talking about and parted his lips. ¡°It seems that it was the last survivor. They probably dug all the graves near the building.¡± Celine was choked. At the same time, her stomach hurt so much that she couldn¡¯t move. ¡°How lonely have they been? It would be scary, and painful¡­¡± Leonhard¡¯s answer was rather rigid. ¡°Fate is inevitable.¡± At those words, she lowered her head. ¡°I would have become a ghost, too.¡± ¡°Anyone would.¡± Leonhard agreed. ¡°Still, don¡¯t feel guilty. Even with your magic, it wouldn¡¯t feel any pain. Didn¡¯t it actually look like they found rest?¡± ¡°¡­Leonhard.¡± Celine raised her head and saw Leonhard¡¯s eyes, who said so. He expected tears but was a little startled when he met her determined blue-grey eyes. ¡°I want to bury them in a proper grave.¡± ¡°I see.¡± Leonhard nodded his head. Celine was able to find a clean tablecloth in the swamped hall. She put the white bones on a tablecloth that was once white but had now turned yellow like the bone in front of her. As she went out, Leonhard gestured to her. ¡°There is not enough land¡­ Only here.¡± The place he was talking about was right next to the broken door. As she got closer, she saw a hole large enough for an adult male to fit in. It looked like it had been dug by Rashir while she was cleaning up the bones. Celine carefully shoved the white bones piled up on the tablecloth into the hole. ¡°I will cover the soil.¡± When he nodded his head, Celine focused her mind for a moment. A breeze began to surround her, and it gradually turned into a strong wind. Celine lifted her hand and moved the dirt around the grave. Finally, a tomb that was no different from any other tombs around was completed. ¡®There must be a tombstone.¡¯ At the thought, she picked up one of the largest pieces of the broken door and pulled out Ringzor. ¡®What should I write¡­¡¯ She wanted to write the name at the very least, but she couldn¡¯t know anything about those who died alone. Suddenly, Leonhard gently snatched away the piece that Celine had intended for the tombstone. ¡°¡­.?¡± He painstakingly engraved something with the dagger-turned-Rashir before returning it to Celine. [ May you rest forever. ] ¡°That is the only epitaph that can be given to one who was once a ghost.¡± ¡°¡­.¡± Biting her lips, she couldn¡¯t think of any other proper words. Celine then slowly placed the improvised tombstone on the tomb. ¡°¡­.!¡± At that exact moment, the music that seemed to bring out tears of relief just by listening to it rang in her ears. ¡°What¡¯s going on?¡± Leonhard, who sensed an abnormality, urgently asked her, but she could not say more than this. Instead, she peered around her. The third stage of the True Ending route was over. It meant that there would definitely be a box. ¡®That¡¯s it!¡¯ Between the nameless tombs, there was a box that she had opened over and over again. As she ran to open the box, Celine didn¡¯t pay attention to Leonhard¡¯s gaze. ¡°What¡­¡± The box fell to the ground from her loosened hands. It was an empty box with nothing inside. Chapter 59 ¡°Ridiculous¡­¡± Celine muttered in confusion. When she cleared the stage as an ordinary game, or when she cleared the stage as the actual Celine, the result was the same ¡ª the music rang in her ears, and she was able to get a clear reward. However, the empty box showed that the whole process had gone askew. Leonhard seemed to have grasped the situation as soon as he saw the empty box. ¡°Is it because it doesn¡¯t have that drug?¡± Celine shook her head. The healing potion was not significant now. ¡°It¡¯s different from my dream.¡± ¡°Your dreams are often wrong, right?¡± ¡°No. This¡­ It was a rule.¡± ¡°¡­Rule?¡± Even though he looked puzzled at her words, he couldn¡¯t quite explain it. At the same time, Celine bit her lip. She had to figure out how this happened. ¡®Otherwise, I may not be able to receive clearing stage rewards in the next stage.¡¯ Right now, she would have died at this stage many times without the ¡®Hermes¡¯ shoes¡¯ she received as a clear reward for the last stage. ¡®The game will have the answer. Think!¡¯ Celine squeezed her head. After a while, a similar situation popped into her mind. ¡®¡­No way.¡¯ In [ Celine¡¯s Nightmare ], there was only one case where no clear reward was given¡­ A case that she had never seen in a normal play as it has never happened to her. ¡®Cheat key¡­¡¯ In [ Celine¡¯s Nightmare ], which was extremely challenging, there was a cheat key that allowed players to skip all the steps and clear the stage by entering a few English words. However, even those who died dozens or hundreds of times and could not move on to the next stage were hesitant to use a cheat key. The reason was simple. The production team of [ Celine¡¯s Nightmare ] made it impossible to obtain rewards in stages cleared with the cheat key. They wanted to impose a penalty. ¡®Don¡¯t tell me¡­¡¯ Celine turned towards Leonhard, who looked at her worriedly. In the actual game, the cheat key was English words. It wasn¡¯t a character in the game, and it wasn¡¯t even a villain in the game. ¡®Wait a minute.¡¯ Celine recalled the cheat key that was famous among players, so even those who did not use it could know. [ The Wolf. ] ¡°¡­Leonhard, I have a question for you.¡± ¡°What?¡± At the question, he raised an eyebrow as if to ask what she was curious about in this situation. ¡°Is there anyone who calls Leonhard a wolf?¡± ¡°¡­What do you mean?¡± ¡°Oh, it¡¯s fine. I¡¯m sorry.¡± Leonhard stared at the gibberish Celine. ¡°My family has been called the wolf of the north for generations. No one specifically calls me a wolf.¡± ¡°Ah¡­¡± Celine let out a long sigh. Indeed, Leonhard was the cheat key. * * * The way down was an ordinary hiking trail, and they arrived at the place where they first dismounted after a while. ¡°I think you should rest for a while.¡± Climbing into Black, she nodded her head. The stages cleared so far felt like children¡¯s pranks compared to today. Leonhard drove the horse slowly. Celine thought that after resting for a week in the nearby County, she thought about moving to the place she had seen in her dreams. However, they did not rest a single day in the County. It was because as soon as they got off their horse, a messenger dressed in the imperial emblem ran to Leonhard and knelt down on his knees. His face hardened immediately. ¡°What¡¯s going on?¡± ¡°I don¡¯t know. His Majesty just told me to convey this to the Lord directly.¡± Then, the messenger handed him a rolled-up parchment. ¡®¡­His Majesty?¡¯ Leonhard unwrapped the parchment, not trying to hide his surprise. Since the northern part was basically under the Crown Prince¡¯s jurisdiction, orders from the Emperor were unusual. ¡°When did he tell me to go up?¡± ¡°His Majesty said as soon as you receive this, come up right away¡­¡± At those words, he shoved the parchment roughly into his pocket before answering. ¡°I understand.¡± Celine stared at Leonhard, who was half-drowsy and tired, in the carriage on the way to the capital. ¡®¡­Leonhard is the cheat key.¡¯ It must have been very lucky that she was able to get the clear rewards so far. ¡®No, only when I consciously keep him behind.¡¯ Even in the mine, if she had left Leonhard and the mysterious shadow fight, she would not have been rewarded for the clear, so her spine chilled. Celine lowered her head as she gazed at Hermes¡¯ shoes, and bit her lip. ¡®As expected, I can¡¯t give up the clear rewards.¡¯ The reward she missed this time was unavoidable. Nonetheless, it would be unclear whether she would even get to see the true ending next time she missed it. Although Leonhard was the cheat key, he was not the cheat key that allowed her to skip stages omnisciently like in the game. He simply did things she could not easily do. ¡®¡­That counts as cheating.¡¯ Celine let out a sigh. She didn¡¯t want to give up the clear reward, and she didn¡¯t want to challenge the stage alone, leaving Leonhard behind. Then, she remembered the next stage. ¡®It was the swamp and poison zone.¡¯ Without Leonhard¡¯s help, she was likely to die dozens of times. Her head was spinning. ¡®Can¡¯t I just get a little help? No, I might not see the true ending if I don¡¯t get any more clear rewards¡­ Would it be okay for the true-ending to get help from Leonhard?¡¯ When she was unable to come to a conclusion after thinking for a long time, Leonhard¡¯s eyes, which seemed to have fallen asleep, opened. ¡°What are you thinking?¡± ¡°Nothing. Wasn¡¯t Leonhard sleeping?¡± ¡°I didn¡¯t sleep.¡± Celine then flapped her lips and asked if he had observed her, pretending to be sleeping. ¡°You¡¯ve been worrying about that medicine, aren¡¯t you?¡± ¡°¡­Yes.¡± ¡°Don¡¯t worry about it. Don¡¯t you still have enough?¡± ¡°Not that many.¡± In the meantime, Celine thought that she would get a healing potion every time she cleared a stage. However, if she cleared with his help, she could not receive a clear reward, the healing potion was now a resource that needed to be extremely cherished. Celine struggled to change the topic. ¡°Why did His Majesty¡¯s order make you go up in such a hurry?¡± ¡°¡­Read it. You¡¯ll understand right away.¡± Leonhard handed the parchment to Celine. ¡°¡­.!¡± The blue-grey eyes widened as she quickly read the parchment. The parchment briefly contained the message that a new warlock had appeared in Agathirsus, so he had to come up quickly. ¡°Agathirsus¡­ Wasn¡¯t it completely destroyed when the old warlock died?¡± ¡°It seems it wasn¡¯t.¡± Even though Leonhard replied calmly, there was a glimpse of anger in him. ¡°I asked them to light it on fire so no one could enter. The space the warlocks use as their bases is all the same, so if one person leaves and the other sits in, it doesn¡¯t change anything.¡± ¡°I have a question.¡± ¡°Yes?¡± ¡°They don¡¯t know that Leonhard will come if they stay in Agathirsus. If it were me, I think I would use a safer place as my base¡­¡± ¡°I once thought so, too.¡± Leonhard sighed. ¡°Still, I won¡¯t be able to kill this warlock.¡± ¡°¡­Leonhard?¡± Celine doubted her ears for a moment. It was the first time that he had meekly admitted that he could not do something. ¡°Those who move around like this are quick-witted and clever. Kind of like the guy who kidnapped you. I try to catch them, but I can¡¯t catch them.¡± The blue-grey eyes widened. ¡°Isn¡¯t there a possibility that it¡¯s the same warlock?¡± ¡°¡­Ah.¡± Leonhard seemed to have realized something. ¡°That¡¯s¡­a possibility.¡± Celine nodded her head. ¡°This in itself may be a trap to catch me.¡± ¡°¡­.¡± Although he wanted to deny it, he didn¡¯t say anything. Celine¡¯s guess was correct. Already due to Agathirsus¡¯ decrepit warlock, information about her spread among the warlocks. It started with the kidnapping. This was nothing more than the following notice from the warlocks who were about to take Celine into their hands. ¡°I have to be careful.¡± Leonhard¡¯s heart burned when he saw Celine, who was weak. ¡°I¡¯m going alone, so stay at the hotel.¡± Celine grinned. ¡°I will be in the safest place.¡± ¡°No way.¡± Leonhard flatly refused. ¡°I¡¯m in a safe place, what¡¯s the problem?¡± ¡°Because you¡¯re trying to say nonsense.¡± ¡°Is it nonsense to say that next to Leonhard is the safest?¡± As she asked back, Celine rolled her eyes. Didn¡¯t he think so, too? ¡°It was Leonhard who took me to the monster hunt, who only knew how to hide behind the scenes, let alone magic¡­¡± She quickly shut her mouth. It was because Leonhard¡¯s eyes were wandering aimlessly. ¡°No, I don¡¯t mean to blame. On the contrary, I think it is safest to be with you even now.¡± A rather sharp voice came out of Leonhard¡¯s mouth, which was finally opened. ¡°¡­Celine, you died a few times by my side. Isn¡¯t it normal for you to change your mind at this point?¡± ¡°Without Leonhard, I would die more than a hundred times.¡± Even though she said it as a joke, his hardened face did not soften. ¡°Well, if Leonhard wants me to, I can stay in the hotel. But, think about it. I was kidnapped while alone in Bernoulli Castle, is it safe in the hotel?¡± ¡°¡­.¡± A sigh escaped Leonhard¡¯s mouth. ¡°Do whatever you want.¡± * * * As soon as he reached the capital, Leonhard was eager to run to Agathirsus. However, as soon as they got off the carriage, they were blocked by the knights directly under the Emperor. Leonhard exclaimed angrily. ¡°What is this?¡± The knight commander, wearing a splendid helmet, got off his horse. Leonhard recognized him immediately. It would have been better if this was the subjugation of a group of ordinary monsters. The knight commander bowed respectfully to him. ¡°We will go together.¡± Leonhard shook his head harshly. ¡°The enemy is a warlock. Save your precious lives.¡± ¡°Lord!¡± ¡°I thought you basically had to follow my orders.¡± Leonhard did not have any positions, though all the monster subjugation knights in the Empire had to follow his orders. ¡°But, His Majesty¡­¡± He snorted. ¡°Did His Majesty order you to commit suicide?¡± ¡°No!¡± ¡°Then, let¡¯s go back.¡± Riding Black to the center of the Knights, he viewed it as too much of a hassle to explain further, so he did not say anything. In the meantime, the knights glanced at each other before slowly moving out of his way. ¡°Thank you. I was going to cut you off if you didn¡¯t move.¡± Chapter 60 The knights muttered their greeting after Leonhard¡¯s words and hurriedly left the place. After the knights were completely gone from their visions, Celine asked quietly. ¡°Why did they want to go together?¡± ¡°It¡¯s obvious. It looks like a promotion review is scheduled.¡± That person was not the first, nor the last, knight commander with an overinflated ego, who drove the entire knights to their extremities. ¡°I heard it¡¯s His Majesty¡¯s order¡­¡± ¡°His Majesty told them to do their best to help me, something like that.¡± ¡°Ah¡­¡± Hearing his words, she remembered the knight commander with a load of strength on his shoulders like a peacock. ¡°And, His Majesty is kind to the North. He even sent the knights directly under him.¡± ¡°I see¡­¡± The more she learned about this world, the more she doubted that the cause of Leonhard¡¯s darkening was the incompetent Imperial Family. They soon reached the cave that was the base of the dead warlock. ¡®Nothing has changed¡­¡¯ The quarries and caves were not at all different from when they killed the warlock. In addition, there was nothing to block the entry of outsiders. ¡°Originally, it should have been blocked by magic.¡± Leonhard muttered angrily. ¡°They must have never thought that someone would come in.¡± ¡°I told them to burn the cave because other warlocks will come to find research materials for the warlocks who lived here.¡± Celine lost her words. ¡°¡­That¡¯s great. Even if you feed them, they won¡¯t take it.¡± ¡°I guess. Sealing it with magic might reveal that it was actually a warlock¡¯s base.¡± ¡°It¡¯s still better than risking being taken over by the warlock again.¡± ¡°It is. It was a stupid decision.¡± He agreed. ¡°I understand that, to some extent, there is nothing to be done. Still, I am angry.¡± ¡°It¡¯s understandable.¡± Celine nodded her head. She was even mad even when she was not related at all, though Leonhard deserved to be angry. Soon, they slowly explored the interior of the cave. ¡®¡­A lot has changed.¡¯ She quickly realized that she had just been wrong about what she had thought. This cave was just an ordinary cave. Insects crawled little by little on the wall, and there was water moss in some places, so life was felt. At the time, the warlock used it as a base so this was a sight that had not been seen at all. ¡°It doesn¡¯t look like a new warlock is based here.¡± ¡°Is that correct?¡± A woman¡¯s voice sounded like a jade bead rolling. At that, Celine hurriedly pulled Ringzor from her arms. A warlock dressed in a black cloak slowly emerged from the depths of the cave. The mouth, half exposed under the hood, drew an arc. In that next moment, Rashir drew a curve that glowed blue, and the warlock¡¯s body split in half and crashed to the floor. ¡°This again?¡± Leonhard murmured lowly. Celine blinked her eyes. The warlock¡¯s body which had been split in half, was ripped apart, showing a cross-section, and not a drop of black blood came out. ¡°What¡­?¡± ¡°It¡¯s a clone. It¡¯s one of their common tricks.¡± ¡°If it¡¯s a clone, it¡¯s like a ghost¡­¡± ¡°Think of it as a shell created by black magic. It¡¯s weak, but their appearance is plausible. As you just saw.¡± ¡°How do you tell them apart?¡± Leonhard laughed bitterly. ¡°The shells are less evil. Did you not feel it?¡± ¡°¡­Ah.¡± Celine realized only then that there was no trace of the evil energy she should have felt if she was near a warlock. ¡°It¡¯s easy to tell.¡± ¡°Yes. They can¡¯t use black magic, so everything they do is just a shell.¡± He then turned his back angrily. ¡°Seeing that this is the only trace of the new warlock, they must have been merely spying. Let¡¯s go out.¡± ¡°Is this really just spying?¡± Celine couldn¡¯t believe it. They could not rest for a while because of this and came down to the zodiac. ¡°Yes. It seems that there is not a single person in the Capital who can be brave enough to wield a sword.¡± Leonhard strode out of the cave. ¡°Has it ever been like this?¡± ¡°A lot.¡± Then, he told Celine the story of him having to travel from the north to the southern border on a far more trivial matter than it was now. ¡°¡­Aren¡¯t you mad?¡± ¡°I couldn¡¯t bear it when I was young, but I do now.¡± A small smile crept across Celine¡¯s lips. ¡°I don¡¯t think you¡¯re too angry, even now.¡± ¡°Is it?¡± Leonhard had a thoughtful look. After some time, they crossed the quarry and reached the gorge at a sluggish pace. Celine rubbed her eyes. It was because before entering Agathirsus, the knights that Leonhard had chased away were now waiting for them in the canyon. ¡°Why are you still here? For now, the mission is over. It was a shell, so if you want to recover it, go and take it.¡± ¡°¡­.?¡± Celine looked at the Knights again. ¡®Ah.¡¯ Seeing that the pattern was very slightly different, it seemed that the knights were different from the previous knights. ¡°Lord.¡± The knight leader wore a splendid helmet as much as the previous knight leader dismounted from his horse. ¡°As expected of the Lord. Congratulations on the quick resolution. Where are you going next? I think the border area¡­¡± ¡°I was thinking of taking a break for a while.¡± ¡°¡­Yes?¡± The knight commander¡¯s mouth was wide open. ¡°I think that just destroying this place is enough to deserve a break. Haven¡¯t the monsters been reduced by a lot?¡± ¡°Bu, but¡ª!¡± At the call, Leonhard stared at the knight commander indifferently, but sparks flew in his eyes. ¡°I destroyed Agathirsus, where most of the monsters in the Capital resided. Doesn¡¯t it allow me time to rest? Even farmers take a break after the busy season!¡± ¡°Lord, Lord¡­¡± Even though the knight commander¡¯s voice trembled, he did not shut his mouth. ¡°But soon, there will be Carpathia¡­!¡± Celine looked at Leonhard with a puzzled face. At the same time, from his mouth came a smirk as if he knew only now. ¡°¡­Ha.¡± ¡°Sorry.¡± The knight commander muttered an apology without meaning. ¡°That¡¯s what it was. What was your name?¡± ¡°It¡¯s Hobson.¡± ¡°Hobson, then do this.¡± Leonhard took a moment to look at the tense knights. ¡°This Carpathia is decided by a hunting competition.¡± ¡°What¡­?¡± ¡°Won¡¯t I be the one taking care of all the monsters and warlocks anyway? You follow me and make achievements. Isn¡¯t that a fair victory?¡± ¡°¡­.¡± While Hobson couldn¡¯t say a word back, Leonhard boarded Black with Celine. ¡°Let the other commanders know.¡± ¡°Yes!¡± It didn¡¯t take long for Celine to ask questions. ¡°What is Carpathia?¡± He paused for a moment. The Carpathia event was an event that could not be known by the people out of the Imperial Capital. ¡°Have you never been there before?¡± ¡°Yes?¡± ¡°Carpathia.¡± ¡°Ah, ah! Yes. I just heard the name¡­¡± Moments after, Leonhard began to explain in a soft voice that felt a little unnatural. ¡°Carpathia is an event to honor the knights who had struggled to eradicate monsters. Once every three years, they collect the achievements of the past to select a knight who could bear the title of Carpathia.¡± ¡°Then, those people¡­¡± ¡°It¡¯s quite an honorable position.¡± He was clearly sarcastic. ¡°It was, at least until I showed up.¡± ¡°Not anymore.¡± ¡°Right now, it is close to the position of a person who is good at paperwork and has a quick sense.¡± A smirk escaped Celine¡¯s lips. Even if the world changed and the dimensions changed, it seemed that people did not change as much. ¡°By the way, a hunting competition?¡± ¡°I¡¯ve been patient so far¡­ I just can¡¯t stand it this time. I have to make sure that the most skilled person becomes the Carpathia.¡± Leonhardt grabbed Celine and continued his words. ¡°Anyway, I¡¯ve cut almost all of the warlocks and monsters, so the results will be just fine.¡± ¡°¡­Monster hunting?¡± ¡°Of course. It¡¯s impossible to hunt a snow rabbit for the competition.¡± ¡°Would you release monsters?¡± Leonhard looked a little surprised. ¡°No way. The further away from the capital, the more monsters will be infested, so I plan to send them one by one to see their work.¡± ¡°Then, Leonhard¡­¡± ¡°Of course, I must always be waiting. Still, I won¡¯t be in the way of breaking the curse.¡± Celine¡¯s face darkened. There was no quest to give her directions for this time, so she was troubled the entire time she rode the carriage to the capital. Besides, the next stage was a swamp. She knew without even asking herself that there would be countless swamps in this vast empire. At the thought, she shook her head to shake off the anxious feelings. ¡®¡­Think positively.¡¯ Through Leonhard¡¯s participation in the Carpathia as a kind of observer, she had time to think. There would be a lot of data in the capital, so she could find the swamp she saw in the game. Meanwhile, they ran a fair amount of time to reach the hotel. The manager, who now clearly memorized Celine¡¯s face, greeted them. ¡°Lord, Lute. Everything was perfectly prepared.¡± ¡°Thank you.¡± Celine opened her mouth as soon as she entered the room they had always stayed in. ¡®What is all this¡­?¡¯ Fresh flowers were everywhere, wondering where they came from this midwinter, and expensive ornaments showed off their appearance wherever she looked. In terms of decoration, it was dozens of times more splendid than Leonhard¡¯s bedroom in Bernoulli Castle. Celine glanced down, especially feeling her feet slipping in. A mysterious silver fur was strewn all over the floor. ¡°It¡¯s a sea fox.¡± Even Leonhard was half amazed and half tired. ¡°Is it rare?¡± ¡°Yes. If you add up everything here¡­ it could buy this hotel.¡± ¡°¡­.¡± Celine felt guilty about the extinction of a rare animal called the sea fox with its fur here, so she hurriedly stepped off her feet. ¡°Why are they doing this all of a sudden? Of course, it was gorgeous before, but up to this point¡­¡± ¡°Not all of a sudden. It must be because of Agathirsus.¡± ¡°Ah¡­!¡± She could guess the situation roughly. As soon as they destroyed Agathirsus, they attended the imperial banquet. Naturally, the Grand Hotel thought they would stay in the Imperial Capital for quite some time and changed the interior during the imperial banquet. Nonetheless, the two left immediately for the southern part of the imperial banquet. ¡®It¡¯s fortunate for us to see the hotel even though it¡¯s so late.¡¯ If they hadn¡¯t returned to the Grand Hotel, this extravagant room would have piled up dust until the Grand Ducal couple made a rare outing to the capital. ¡°What a relief.¡± ¡°The hotel?¡± After hanging out together all day, it seems that their thoughts are similar, or Leonhardt seems to have had the same thoughts. However, her guess was completely wrong. ¡°What do you mean, the hotel?¡± Leonhard slowly approached her. ¡°¡­.?¡± Celine looked up, having no idea what he was trying to say. His lips opened very slowly. Chapter 61 ¡°¡­Because we didn¡¯t walk into a trap.¡± ¡°Ah.¡± Celine¡¯s face turned red. Leonhard was talking about something completely different. ¡°You don¡¯t know how worried I was.¡± ¡°Leonhard has nothing to worry about. Now that the rebound has been released¡­¡± ¡°Celine.¡± He interrupted her in a very serious voice. ¡°That¡¯s what I¡¯m worried about. I¡¯m afraid the rebound will be released, and you¡¯ll be too reckless.¡± Even though Celine tried to say that she was originally reckless and that she wouldn¡¯t just go back to the way she was before the rebound, Leonhard was a little faster. ¡°I don¡¯t mean to blame you. Just¡­¡± He hesitated for a moment. ¡°¡­I am just worried, so much so that I can¡¯t stand it.¡± Hearing those words, she gazed up at his deep eyes, as blue as the sea. Her mouth hardly opened. She would continue to act recklessly in the future, to prevent Leonhard¡¯s destruction¡­ If he had told her to stop being reckless in the future, she would have countered and said she couldn¡¯t. Still, how should she respond to his pure worries? ¡°¡­I said something needlessly. Forget it.¡± Celine shook her head. ¡°I¡¯ll be careful. Really, I promise.¡± While the anxiety in his eyes did not disappear, Leonhard¡¯s stiff lips softened slightly. ¡°That¡¯s a relief.¡± * * * ¡°The Carpathia¡­ Why is Leonhard in charge?¡± Celine asked as she ate breakfast at the Grand Hotel, which was much more luxurious than when she had stayed before. Even thinking about it all last night, she couldn¡¯t think of any reason why he should be in charge of the evaluation of the Imperial Knights. To put it bluntly, wasn¡¯t that what a Crown Prince or Emperor who oversees missions related to monsters and black magic was supposed to do? Leonhard¡¯s eyebrows twitched. ¡°Isn¡¯t it natural?¡± ¡°Leonhard has nothing to do with the Knights Templar.¡± ¡°It doesn¡¯t matter.¡± He sighed before continuing his words. ¡°In principle, they¡¯re like my limbs. It¡¯s only natural that I take care of my limbs myself.¡± Celine thought that it didn¡¯t seem like something he should do though she asked only the necessary questions. ¡°Then, before Leonhard?¡± ¡°There has never been anyone like me before.¡± Listening to his words, her head grew more and more confused. ¡°What kind of person like Leonhard?¡± ¡°That is¡­ don¡¯t you know?¡± At that, he was so embarrassed that he nearly dropped the jam-packed white bread, but Celine just nodded her head seriously. ¡°I don¡¯t know.¡± Leonhard answered with a slightly blank expression. ¡°Yes¡­ It could be my arrogance.¡± He glared at the knife gleaming in the reflection of the morning sun. He had expected that she didn¡¯t know about Carpathia, but Celine bizarrely knew nothing. It wasn¡¯t something incomprehensible. Nonetheless, it was just that he didn¡¯t know where to begin to explain to the person who had become so important to him now. ¡°Baron Elmer¡¯s son, you remember?¡± Celine nodded her head. Perhaps, she will never forget the voice of a child in the dark for the rest of her life. ¡°That was the case with me.¡± ¡°¡­.!¡± ¡°When I was born, the prophets of the entire Empire united to say that I was destined to destroy the North.¡± The blue-grey eyes grew large and began to tremble out of control. ¡°However, Father ignored it¡­ Instead, he taught me to stay away from magic as soon as he discovered that I had magical powers.¡± Leonhard let out a bitter smile. ¡°Of course¡­ Now and then, I was not a very obedient child, but I didn¡¯t have the courage to openly defy father¡¯s words.¡± The method the young Leonhard Bernoulli came up with was to have something to use the magic for other than him. Nonetheless, the stones and wood were too weak to contain the magic power properly and crumbled. What he found was metal. ¡­Among them, the sword. ¡°Being a magic swordsman was like a cow walking backwards and catching a mouse.¡± It was against nature to suppress the original magic and use magic as a medium. The last recorded magic sword in history was a human weapon made to win the war more than three hundred years ago. At that time, there were about a thousand children with magical powers who were semi-forced to make a magic swordsman. Only one of them survived. But at the time, Leonhard thought it was just a strange game. ¡°Even though I thought it was my own little secret, it soon came to light. Even to the presence of His Highness Ricardo.¡± Celine¡¯s body shook. As expected, that sly Crown Prince¡­! ¡°At that time, how old were you?¡± ¡°On my tenth birthday.¡± ¡°¡­.¡± Celine lost her words. While she knew well enough that the Crown Prince was trash, he was such an inhuman scum that he trained a ten-year-old to strike down enemies. Leonhard smiled bitterly. ¡°Don¡¯t look at me with those eyes, because I was fifteen when I first killed a warlock. His Highness Ricardo is not that cruel.¡± ¡°You¡¯ve been trained since then!¡± Celine was taken aback, and she shouted. ¡°Besides, isn¡¯t fifteen too young?¡± Fifteen, at the age of middle school at most. Celine remembered the emotions she had when she first helped kill a warlock. It was a feeling that no fifteen-year-olds should experience, whether in this world or the other world. ¡°I was young. That was not enough.¡± There was remorse in Leonhard¡¯s voice. ¡°Anyway, the day it was revealed that I could cut down a warlock as easily as the magic swordsman in the history books, all the Knights of the Imperial Family were unofficially under my command.¡± ¡°¡­Officially?¡± ¡°Officially, I am nothing.¡± Saying that, he shrugged his shoulders. ¡°But practically, all the knights of the Imperial Family must come to me whenever I summon them. Of course, the Carpathia became my business.¡± Celine frowned. The authority that Leonhard held was very large when she heard the explanation. However, had the Imperial Knights ever been of any help to him? ¡°Do they have¡­anything to do?¡± ¡°No.¡± Leonhard sighed. ¡°It¡¯s been a long time since I told them to just rest because they¡¯re only trying to hide behind me. It¡¯s cumbersome.¡± ¡°Then, why this time¡­¡± ¡°They can¡¯t stand it.¡± Celine nodded her head as she recalled the knight¡¯s commander she had met at Agathirsus. ¡°It¡¯s understandable.¡± ¡°And¡­¡± Leonhard hesitated for a moment. ¡°Because they haven¡¯t been able to rest properly.¡± The corners of Celine¡¯s lips rose. ¡°I¡¯m fine. Thanks to you, I can stay in such a luxurious place. The hotel must have been relieved.¡± ¡°I¡¯m happy if you¡¯re satisfied.¡± He still looked dissatisfied. ¡°If it wasn¡¯t originally a hunting contest, what was it?¡± ¡°I gave it to His Highness Ricardo after giving them a moderate score based on performance. Then, His Highness chose it.¡± Celine bit her lip. ¡°¡­This time, they will roll to the brink of death.¡± ¡°Even if you don¡¯t say anything, they will do it. Being a Carpathia is a great honor.¡± ¡°What if the Crown Prince opposes the hunting contest?¡± ¡°He would rather welcome it. As long as they kill a lot of monsters, it doesn¡¯t matter what they do.¡± * * * ¡°Commander, what do you mean?¡± The members of the Paradiso Knights opened their mouths in unison. ¡°Are you all deaf? This Carpathia is decided by a hunting contest.¡± In an instant, the training ground became noisy with a deafening noise. ¡°¡­A hunting contest?¡± ¡°Are you saying that we should catch an elk?¡± ¡°You fool, it must be a monster.¡± ¡°It¡¯s our job to catch monsters, but does a context make sense?¡± Most of them threw one word at a time with an absurd look. ¡°It was the Lord¡¯s decision.¡± Bart, the commander of the Paradiso Knights, explained with a sigh. ¡°Isn¡¯t there a border area with the principality? It seems that he was planning to wipe out a group of monsters one by one in the name of a contest.¡± The knights became quiet in an instant. The hordes of monsters nesting on the border with the Principality have been a troublemaker for a long time, but the main damage was seen by the people of the Principality, so the Empire continued to delay its collapse. ¡°It wouldn¡¯t be that hard.¡± ¡°It is not difficult if all the knights are mobilized.¡± Bart cut off the uneasiness that arose among his members along with the murmur. ¡°The destruction has been delayed, and it has not been neglected. The boss monster is there. In the worst case, the Lord would come.¡± ¡°¡­Is he aiming for victory?¡± ¡°Of course not.¡± Bart grinned. ¡°Then, it could be an opportunity for us.¡± A blush appeared on the members¡¯ faces. The Paradiso Knights had never become the Carpathia in nearly twenty years. ¡°Yes.¡± Bart nodded his head. ¡°I don¡¯t know what kind of whim he has¡­ In fact, in the meantime, the Carpathia has only been called a Carpathia by name. Everything was done by the Lord.¡± ¡°That¡¯s what I heard.¡± One stepped out in high spirits. ¡°It is said that the Lord, who was enjoying a banquet in the north, was suddenly summoned. But when the Lord came, he heard that it was a mere shell and that he got angry.¡± ¡°Haa.¡± Sighs came from all over the place. Leonhard Bernoulli embarked on a mission no matter how dangerous, but he hated being called in just for a shell. Wasn¡¯t that the reason why Grand Duke Bernoulli had gone to the north with all the subordinates three years ago in a rebellion? ¡°Who are the idiots who feared the shell and reported it as a warlock?¡± ¡°The Hobson boys.¡± The training ground was buzzing with blatant ridicule. ¡°If I belonged there, I would have bitten my tongue and died by now.¡± After ridiculing them, Bart returned to a businesslike attitude. ¡°So, let¡¯s do our best this time. It¡¯s an opportunity that may never come again.¡± The Paradiso Knights started training with the most energetic attitude in recent years. The gray flag with palm trees, the emblem of the Knights, flew more vigorously than ever before. Four days later. The hunting contest that will determine the Carpathia had begun. The sight of all knights belonging to the imperial family except for the Guards was truly spectacular. Admiration escaped Celine¡¯s lips. The orderly arrangement of the knights and the waving of flags engraved with colorful patterns for each order seemed to appear only in movies. It was said that the wizards of the imperial family stayed up all night to gather these personnel to the border area in four days. ¡°Cool¡­¡± They stood on a cliff overlooking the border. The official organizer of the hunting competition was also the Crown Prince, so there was no need for Leonhardt to appear. Though Leonhard had to be in a position where he could immediately notice in the event of an emergency, so he looked down with her in search of a cliff of a suitable height. The Crown Prince¡¯s voice, amplified by magic, resounded resoundingly. ¡°The Knights that showed the most outstanding skills in this tournament will be the Carpathia.¡± The Crown Prince spoke slowly. ¡°If anyone loses their life here, the Knight¡¯s order will be disqualified, so know everyone¡¯s life should not be wasted.¡± Celine glanced up at Leonhard with a smirk. ¡°Is it Leonhard¡¯s idea?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± Leonhardt readily admitted. ¡°If we don¡¯t put such a provision, there will be a lot of commanders who will sacrifice an easy subordinate without a need as a living sacrifice.¡± After a while, the Crown Prince listed all the areas he assigned to the Knights. Thousands of horses started running in all directions, raising dust clouds. Chapter 62 Celine gazed down at the knights spreading out like ants. ¡®It¡¯s like a movie¡­¡¯ However, the sentimental feeling did not last long. It was because monsters that could not be noticed from the cliff appeared and were entangled with the knights. ¡®¡­.?¡¯ Unlike Leonhard, who had to get off Black before approaching the monster, the knights fought on horseback. In an instant, the heads of the monsters fell to the ground. ¡°Why don¡¯t they stop the horses?¡± ¡°Because there are so many.¡± Leonhard replied as if it was an ordinary thing. ¡°Was it over twenty? ¡­They say that if they gather that much, they can overcome it as training.¡± Celine observed the battle with a more relaxed mind. The monsters were scattered on the ground, scratching only the legs of the horses, without touching the knights¡¯ helmets. After some time, she discovered a unique knight¡¯s order in the thick dust and a tangled mass of monsters and knights. ¡°That¡­ Are they coming down and fighting?¡± Leonhard¡¯s gaze followed her fingertips. A dull flag with palm trees on a gray background caught his eye. A soft groan escaped from his stubborn mouth. ¡°They seem to know that good horses are not worth it.¡± It was then that Celine realized that the horses were collapsing along with the monsters and fell to the ground. ¡°Then, those horses¡­¡± ¡°It¡¯s consumables.¡± Leonhard¡¯s eyes, responding with displeasure, were nailed to the knights fighting bare after evacuating their horses safely. ¡®Where is that?¡¯ It was a knight¡¯s order that he had never worked together with before. He could easily come up with the reason. The flag that should be proudly waving the knight¡¯s order¡¯s pattern was worn out, and even the commander¡¯s armor, the best of them, was shabby. Even the horses that had evacuated to a safe place seemed not enough to be called steed. ¡®It looks like they have no background.¡¯ The knight¡¯s order that performed missions with Leonhard changed each time, and the Crown Prince decided which knight¡¯s order would accompany him in each mission. It was an open secret that the knights who did not catch the Crown Prince¡¯s eyes were not given the opportunity to achieve achievements. Suddenly, Celine caught her breath. ¡°The boss¡­!¡± A huge boss monster slowly appeared in the darkness of the forest. ¡®It came out so quickly.¡¯ The boss monster in the border area was notorious for seldom revealing its appearance. In fact, even in this operation, under the guise of a contest, the boss monster was not included in the number of cases. He tried to be satisfied with just weakening the power by cutting off all their limbs. Leonhard prepared to go down immediately. He did not want to lose the only sensible knights in vain. ¡°Wait.¡± Celine grabbed his bewildered arm and dragged him away. ¡°Look over there.¡± Leonhard blinked. The knights in old-fashioned armor were attacking the boss monster in unison. It was different from the time when they simply showed off their individual skills and slashed monsters. When they tried to encircle the boss monster in two lines, the knight with the most skill was aiming at the monster¡¯s vital point. When the blow failed, the knights immediately changed into a formation with three men. The boss monster seemed to have noticed that these knights were different from all the small fry it had ever seen. Twisting its heavy body, it stretched its feet and aimed at the knights¡¯ necks. However, the knights quickly formed a circular formation and took turns attacking the boss monsters one by one at high speed. Even in a dangerous situation, he felt a sense of security. ¡°¡­That¡¯s great.¡± A rare compliment came out of Leonhard¡¯s mouth. He put Rashir, which he had taken out, into its sheath. He would only be a hindrance if he went. After a while, all the trivial ones were rolling around with the soil, splattered with blood. There was only one knight¡¯s order who was still sweating and fighting the monsters. The shabby knights waving flags with rustic patterns. Thousands of eyes were watching the knights fighting a bloody battle with the boss monster. Among them, the particularly sharp shining eyes belonged to the Crown Prince. Finally, the boss monster fell to the dirt floor, pouring out blood. Celine¡¯s eyes lit up. ¡°The winner¡­!¡± Leonhardt nodded his head. Really, the feelings he had not felt in a long time slowly filled up and he muttered a little blankly. ¡°There were people like that in the Imperial Family.¡± ¡°That¡¯s fortunate.¡± Celine smiled softly. The fact that the knight¡¯s order defeated the boss monster with their own power meant that his burden was reduced. ¡°The Carpathia, are you attending?¡± ¡°Me?¡± Leonhard laughed. ¡°The official selection of the Carpathia is for Ricardo. I have nothing to do. So, I¡¯m free¡­¡± ¡°Can I take a look?¡± ¡°¡­.?¡± As his eyes widened, Celine smiled shyly. ¡°I want to see them become Carpathias.¡± ¡°If you say so.¡± Leonhard answered with a little grunt. To him, Carpathia was just a bustling festival, but he could hang out with Celine if she wanted to. * * * When Celine arrived on the street where the festival was held, she grabbed Leonhard¡¯s hand and dragged him with excitement. ¡®I¡¯m glad we come.¡¯ Leonhard, who was wearing a hood so that his identity would not be revealed, smiled softly. Celine¡¯s expression brightened by the time she heard the hustle and bustle of the Carpathia festival. Up until now, festivals were just a busy space for him. ¡°There are a lot of people.¡± ¡°Do you like¡­ a lot of people?¡± ¡°No. But it¡¯s a festival!¡± It was the first time she had been so excited since she absorbed the magic of the magic stone and manifested it. She moved slowly, as if being pushed by the crowd, and looked around without a break. She clapped her hands in admiration in front of the acrobat who spun ten balls at the same time and even imitated the shape-changing shadow performance with her hands. Leonhard looked at Celine with curious eyes. ¡®How did she like the festival so much?¡¯ Due to Celine¡¯s personality, who did not like banquets, he thought that she would not like the festival, but it must have been a big mistake. A smile appeared on Leonhard¡¯s lips as he counted the famous festivals of the entire empire in his heart. Suddenly, Celine, who had only looked around, stopped. She was in front of a stand full of snacks. Small fruits covered with several layers of sugar, colorful sugar cookies with colored cream, and jellies that were hardened with nuts and chews¡­ Compared to the sophisticated and pretty desserts she had eaten in this world, it was a crude lump of sugar. However, Celine¡¯s eyes could not fall from the stand. ¡®Money¡­¡¯ Celine, who inadvertently put her hand in her pocket, hardened her face. Come to think of it, she had never received any money, and she had never spent any money. It was a given because she nor Leonhard didn¡¯t have to spend a penny. Even the gifts she received from the Grand Duke when she appeared as a wizards were gems and magic stones, far from real money. The currency in the game was magic stone, but the currency actually used in this world must be quite different. ¡®I don¡¯t even know what money looks like here, I¡­¡¯ As soon as his complexion darkened a little, Leonhard¡¯s soft voice was heard. ¡°Give me a little bit of everything.¡± ¡°Yes, Sir!¡± He discouraged the merchant from counting after he pulled out a full set of cash to pay change for one gold coin. After a while, Celine, with a happy expression, took out the paper bags full of snacks cherishing them in her arms as she ate them one by one. It tasted exactly what she expected. The intense sweetness seemed to shorten the lifespan with each bite. She also offered it to Leonhard, but he shook his head with a slightly tired expression, so she was eating as much as she could. ¡°Aht¡­!¡± Celine let out a small scream. Someone hit her back hard and disappeared so quickly. Luckily the snacks didn¡¯t spill, but her shoulder was quite tingly when they hit her. Leonhard responded immediately. ¡°Are you okay?¡± ¡°Ah, it hurts a little.¡± When Celine grabbed the paper bag and rubbed her left shoulder, his face grew serious. ¡°It would be better to go somewhere less crowded.¡± Celine nodded her head. Already, they had passed more than half of the street where the festival was held. Her hands were also sticky, so if they went to a place with fewer people, she would magically make water and wash herself. Leonhard quickly escaped the crowd and entered a dark alley. ¡°Where is the Carpathia announcement?¡± She asked, washing her hands. Glancing around most of the alley, she did not see a stage where the Crown Prince would bestow the title of Carpathia. ¡°I don¡¯t think I¡¯ve ever really heard it.¡± Leonhard looked surprised. ¡°Of course, the Knights Commanders and Ricardo are also in the Palace. The imperial wizards will make it appear here in the sky and show it to you.¡± At his words, Celine couldn¡¯t stop her laughter from bouncing around because she was reminded of a beam projector. ¡°Lute Carl is not good at light attribute magic, so you may not know it, but those highly skilled in light attribute magic¡­¡± ¡°I know. The award will be delivered vividly as if you were seeing it in front of your eyes.¡± ¡°Yes.¡± He nodded his head. ¡°They said it was a spectacular sight to those who saw it for the first time.¡± Originally, Leonhard intended to take Celine to the palace. However, he realized that there was nothing more foolish than putting her in front of the Crown Prince, who had already expressed hostility to him, so he turned to where the Carpathia general festival took place. ¡®¡­If we had gone to the Crown Prince¡¯s Palace, it would have been a disaster.¡¯ He was relieved to see Celine looking up at the sky, already expecting the magic. ¡°There is no need to wait long. I think it will start soon.¡± The winter days were short, and the sun had already begun to hide in the crimson sky. As soon as her blue-grey eyes twinkled a few times, their original purpose of coming here began. The sun had completely set, and the image was slowly forming on the gray sky with blue energy. Celine recognized the splendid interior of the Crown Prince¡¯s Palace. The Crown Prince and knights were standing in the banquet hall, where they inspected the Crown Prince¡¯s aides. ¡®It¡¯s very clear.¡¯ She couldn¡¯t hide her surprise. The image in the sky was as clear as a high-definition video. After a while, Celine realized that there was no sound at all, and she flinched. It was only obvious that they only showed the awards with light. The Crown Prince moved his mouth with an imposing force. ¡°He says he was happy to see the most powerful Carpathia in recent years.¡± ¡°Can you read lips?¡± ¡°Because it¡¯s useful.¡± Leonhard shrugged his shoulders. After a few seconds, the knight commander in crude armor ambled in front of the Crown Prince. Chapter 63 The street vibrated with cheers. The face of the knight commander who knelt down and received the insignia, the symbol of Carpathia, turned red. ¡®He¡¯s the commander of the Paradiso Knights, Bart¡­¡¯ Leonhard was deep in thought. It was a name he had never heard of. Still, even though he knew his name, he had no more business with the Carpathians. Then, he squinted towards Celine, who had her eyes wide open, concentrating on the image of the sky. ¡®Is it true that it was her first time with the Carpathia?¡¯ He approached her slightly with a sense of emotion. At that moment, blue-gray eyes gazed straight at him. ¡°Thank you. While you don¡¯t like the Carpathia.¡± ¡°Was it that obvious?¡± Leonhard muttered with a bit of embarrassment. ¡°Leonhard didn¡¯t make it obvious. I just thought you might.¡± ¡°You don¡¯t need to use your prophet¡¯s powers here.¡± She laughed out loud and walked over to him. As the tousled hair tickled Leonhard¡¯s chin, he swallowed a gulp. Celine looked up at him, and it felt like it took her a long time before she opened her mouth and spoke. ¡°Shall we go back now?¡± The road back to the hotel was more congested than when the festival had just begun. Celine walked while holding Leonhard¡¯s arm tightly. She wasn¡¯t confident that she could find her own way. When she finally arrived at the Grand Hotel, both Leonhard and Celine were soaked in fatigue. However, they couldn¡¯t rest. It was because the manager knocked on the door. ¡°What¡¯s going on?¡± Leonhard asked slightly sharply. ¡°Lor, Lord¡­ The, the commander of the Paradiso Knights¡­¡± ¡°What?¡± At those words, he jumped up from the sofa. ¡°What¡¯s going on?¡± ¡°I have something to tell you.¡± Celine¡¯s eyes widened. The man who passed the manager and entered was the knight commander whom she saw as an image in the sky. He had run straight from the Carpathia ceremony and still had a purple insignia hanging over his shoulder. ¡°Were you the Paradiso¡¯s commander Bart?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± Commander Bart immediately bowed his head politely and greeted him. ¡°What¡¯s going on?¡± ¡°I have wanted to see the Lord for a long time, but I have never had a chance because of my location. Moreover, I heard that it was thanks to the Lord that I was chosen¡­¡± Leonhard gave her a bitter smile as Celine turned to him with a surprised face. Celine fell asleep early that day after a hunting contest as she was tired though she had no idea that there was a controversy on who was going to be the Carpathia. It was the Paradiso Knights that killed the boss monster, but there was another knight who cut the most monster¡¯s head. If the Paradiso knights had been the one strong candidate for the Carpathia, it would not have been a problem. However, a number of leading candidates strongly opposed the rise of the Paradiso Knights, which they had been ignoring. ¡°It¡¯s been almost ten years since the Knights killed the boss monster. It¡¯s a given.¡± ¡°I still wanted to thank you.¡± ¡°¡­It¡¯s an honor. So, you¡¯re not here just to say hello, right?¡± As Leonhard offered him a seat, Bart began to speak, cautiously sitting his hips across the lavish sofa. ¡°I want to take this opportunity to wipe out the monsters in the border area. Even the boss monsters.¡± Leonhard blinked. It was a little surprising. The Knights who became Carpathia were given various benefits. Accommodation, horses, weapons, training grounds, and even missions and the right to ask for help. Because of that, most of the Carpathia used that benefit to avoid monsters as much as possible. ¡°After all the hard work, I thought you would want to rest.¡± ¡°What have we suffered?¡± Bart grinned. ¡°It was all done by the Lord.¡± ¡°So, this time, you want to wipe out all the monsters in the border area with your own power?¡± ¡°Actually, that¡¯s¡­¡± Bart made a smirk. ¡°At first, we tried to go once again by mobilizing other knights. But frankly, there are very few of them who will actually be of help.¡± ¡°I see.¡± ¡°If the Lord helps, all members of Paradiso will honor you with their lives.¡± ¡°¡­.¡± Leonhard looked at him. Bart, one of the youngest members of the Knights, was sweating profusely, apparently nervous. ¡°There is one thing I would like to hear from you. Why do you want to deal with the monsters in the border area?¡± ¡°¡­What?¡± ¡°You are already a Carpathia. There¡¯s nothing higher than that. You also know that you can¡¯t become Carpathia in a row.¡± ¡°What are you saying as if it doesn¡¯t do us any good?¡± ¡°Well.¡± Bart¡¯s firm, tense lips moved. ¡°Because I think I have to¡­ If so, would you believe it?¡± Leonhard rose from his seat and shook Bart¡¯s stiff hand. ¡°That¡¯s enough of an answer. If we set a schedule, I will ask His Highness Ricardo for assistance instead.¡± ¡°Thank you.¡± After the knight commander Bart left, Leonhard spoke to Celine with a dark look. ¡°I¡¯m sorry.¡± ¡°What is there to be sorry for? It¡¯s something we have to do.¡± ¡°¡­Isn¡¯t the lifting of your curse delayed?¡± ¡°It¡¯s okay. I don¡¯t even know where to go right now.¡± Saying so, she shrugged her shoulders. After she cleared the third stage of the true ending route, she wandered for a while because there were no quests to give her directions. ¡®I didn¡¯t have to.¡¯ The true ending route was like a train running on the main track. The next quest would appear sooner or later. However, Leonhard seemed to take it too seriously. ¡°What do you mean?¡± ¡°Literally. It didn¡¯t show up in my dreams¡­¡± ¡°Even a little?¡± Celine nodded her head. She vaguely remembered the next stages. ¡®Was it the swamp after the volcano, then a poisonous area¡­¡¯ Since all stages except the second have appeared one after the other so far, it was highly probable that the next one was the swamp. Still, unlike the volcano, swamps were not common in the area where she lived. ¡°There was something like a swamp.¡± Celine answered reluctantly. ¡°But, I don¡¯t know where the swamp is.¡± ¡°¡­Swamp?¡± Leonhard frowned. ¡°It will take some time to find it.¡± ¡°It wouldn¡¯t be that much.¡± Celine replied bitterly. ¡°I think there was one near the border.¡± ¡°Really?¡± ¡°From my experience so far, I don¡¯t think you have to go to a small swamp. There aren¡¯t that many huge swamps.¡± ¡°Ah¡­¡± Celine swallowed a gulp. Come to think of it, it was a huge swamp that covered the entire stage. She hoped that the next stage, the Poison Zone and the Swamp Zone, would lead to the story. As Leonhard said, it would not be an ordinary swampy area. ¡°There are only a few in the Empire that are like that.¡± ¡°Really?¡± Leonhard looked up at her, who suddenly had a bright face, and continued to speak happily. ¡°One of them is near the border. I don¡¯t think it would be a bad idea to go.¡± ¡°Of course!¡± The blue-gray eyes gleamed. ¡°¡­So, I would like you to send me, Lute Celine, and the entire Carpathia Paradiso knights to the border.¡± He waited nervously for the Crown Prince¡¯s answer. The Crown Prince¡¯s mood today didn¡¯t look bad, but he couldn¡¯t predict his answer because his attitude towards Leonhard had become cold recently. ¡°Why?¡± ¡°What?¡± ¡°Why are you going to the border at this time!¡± At that moment, Leonhard had an intuition. ¡®¡­We¡¯re doomed.¡¯ The Crown Prince jumped up from his seat as he continued his words. ¡°I even laughed it off when it was reported that you were roaming the entire empire. Though you want me to send the Carpathia this time?¡± Only then did he realize the exact reason why the Crown Prince was angry. He must have thought that Leonhard¡¯s plan was to take out the Imperial Family¡¯s key troops. Nonetheless, he did not say that this was precisely the request of the Paradiso Knights. If the sparks of wrath bounced, the knights with a weak position would collapse. ¡°I think it is right to completely wipe out the monsters in the border area this time.¡± ¡°That¡¯s your idea.¡± The Crown Prince¡¯s eyes narrowed. ¡°Do whatever you want. After all, after that day, didn¡¯t you just do what you wanted?¡± ¡°¡­.¡± ¡°But, I can¡¯t give you any support. It takes a month to get to the border without magic, right?¡± Leonhard managed his contorted face. The northern part of the country was famous for its vast land and the wealth accumulated every year, but there was only one wizard who worked for the Grand Duchy. Lute Carl. Not only was he too busy, but he would also get sick for days if he moved many people at once by himself. ¡®He¡¯s telling me not to go.¡¯ Leonhard sighed inside and left the Crown Prince¡¯s office. He had no idea how to explain this to Commander Bart. How did he, the protector of the empire, undermine the imperial authority by himself? However, thinking about it round and round, he couldn¡¯t come up with a proper excuse. Moreover, when he recalled the upright eyes and attitude of the commander, it seemed that he could not be deceived by any excuses. Leonhard returned to the Grand Hotel, where he decided to take a day or so to think. ¡°The Crown Prince refused.¡± ¡°I see.¡± Celine noticed the situation just by looking at Leonhard¡¯s dark face. ¡°Why?¡± ¡°¡­I don¡¯t know. And he didn¡¯t completely deny it. He just said that he would not support us.¡± ¡°However, the Knights of Paradiso are now the Carpathia. Weapons, horses, or anything will not matter.¡± ¡°Movement is a problem.¡± ¡°Ah¡­!¡± A sigh escaped Celine¡¯s mouth. It was because she remembered the fact that all the wizards belonging to the Imperial Family were mobilized when they moved to the border for the hunting contest. At that time, she did not see the wizards casting magic directly. However, the wonder she felt when she was enveloped in a massive flow of magic and moved a long distance in an instant was still vivid. ¡°Still, wouldn¡¯t it be possible because the scale is much smaller than it was back then?¡± ¡°We have no wizards.¡± ¡°¡­What?¡± Leonhard immediately realized his mistake. ¡°We have no wizard who is good at movement magic enough to move dozens of people at once.¡± ¡°I¡¯ll try.¡± ¡°¡­.?¡± ¡°Instead, it may be a little less accurate.¡± ¡°It doesn¡¯t matter if you can do it, but didn¡¯t you learn movement magic from Lute Carl?¡± ¡°I know the theory.¡± Celine answered calmly. Movement magic only took several days to prepare, and it required the highest quality magic stone, so she had never actually used it until now. Despite that, there was nothing wrong with being hesitant if she had never done it before. ¡°It¡¯s a theory¡­ Besides, wouldn¡¯t it be much more difficult to move a large unit.¡± ¡°You have to practice.¡± ¡°How?¡± Leonhard asked, unable to grasp a clue. It was not about moving one or two people. Where would he get people of that size just to practice magic? Eventually, Celine answered, looking at him as if he was asking something so obvious. ¡°Wouldn¡¯t it be easiest to do it with parties?¡± Chapter 64 The neatly maintained training ground of the Paradiso Knights was full of hard-working members who were training for the scheduled mission. Most of them looked happy, but only one, Commander Bart, was staring intently at the achromatic wall. ¡®¡­Will it be alright?¡¯ He went to visit Lord Bernoulli without much thought, but he was well aware of the futility of his proposal. In order to move all the Paradiso Knights and the horses to the border, at least five Imperial Wizards would be needed. His own plans would not have been possible without the support of the Imperial Family. However, no one was unaware of the rumors that Leonhard Bernoulli had recently fallen out of favor with the Crown Prince. ¡®I hope it goes well.¡¯ Bart picked up the bastard sword that had been leaning against the wall. It seemed like he had to sweat a little to calm his agitated mind. ¡°Commander!¡± The rookie who had been posted at the entrance jumped in a hurry. ¡°The, The Lord¡­!¡± Just like a rookie, he couldn¡¯t say which family Lord he was, but there was no need to ask. Bart placed the sword around his waist and ran towards the entrance. ¡°Lord!¡± Leonhart Bernoulli was waiting for him with the wizard who had destroyed Agathirsus together with him. ¡°You look good.¡± ¡°Thank you. Come on in.¡± Bart politely led them to the parlor on the second floor of the dormitory. He did not miss the fact that the small-sized wizard frantically glanced everywhere. ¡®She must have e to the Knight¡¯s ??dormitory for the first time.¡¯ Bart smiled at the wizard. ¡°What is your name?¡± ¡°I am Celine Hunt.¡± ¡°You must be Lute Celine. Are you here to help?¡± ¡°Of course.¡± The blue-grey eyes curved in a half-moon-shaped smile. ¡°You can look forward to it.¡± ¡°Aren¡¯t you the one who destroyed Agathirsus? Just by going with us, everyone¡¯s morale will skyrocket.¡± ¡°Oh my, it¡¯s not like that.¡± Celine replied modestly, but her expression was quite triumphant. Soon, Bart arrived in the parlor and poured three glasses of hot water. ¡°I have nothing to offer. Please, understand that alcohol is prohibited.¡± ¡°This is enough.¡± The moment Leonhard¡¯s blue eyes looked straight at him, Bart swallowed a gulp. Finally, it had e. ¡°What did His Highness Ricardo say?¡± ¡°¡­¡­ He said he couldn¡¯t give away the imperial wizards. Not even one.¡± ¡°¡­.!¡± Bart couldn¡¯t hide his surprise. He was not surprised by the prince¡¯s refusal itself. However, Leonhard¡¯s tone and expression, and Celine¡¯s face that was hardening next to him¡­ All of this showed that the Crown Prince did not only refuse but was also angry. ¡°I should prepare to return to the Carpathia as well.¡± Bart muttered in despair. He himself made the worst choice. He thought that he should rather wait a little longer, gather some power, and then go visit Leonhard, but the situation must have already ended. ¡°You don¡¯t have to.¡± ¡°¡­.?¡± Leonhard sighed as he looked at Bart¡¯s eyes and mouth that opened blankly. ¡°Because I hid your request.¡± ¡°¡­Lord!¡± ¡°His Majesty Ricardo knows nothing about you. So, rest assured.¡± ¡°How, how should I repay this favor¡­¡± Bart¡¯s rough, strong hand holding the glass trembled. ¡°Don¡¯t even think of it as grace because I haven¡¯t really done anything for you.¡± Leonhardt sincerely thought so. His own request for the Crown Prince failed. In the process, it prevented possible embers from escaping, but was it not the natural thing to do to reduce the number of innocent victims? Bart had no reason to express such gratitude. ¡°¡­No.¡± However, Bart seemed to think otherwise. ¡°Lord, I promise you here¡­ Our Paradiso Knights will surely repay this favor one day.¡± ¡°Anyway, you must obey my orders, aren¡¯t you?¡± ¡°Yes, that¡¯s right.¡± At those words, Bart murmured, feeling like an idiot. Come to think of it, Leonhard rarely used his authority, so they had to follow whatever orders he gave them. ¡°So that¡¯s the problem, I have a question for you.¡± ¡°Ask anything.¡± ¡°Even if you go against His Highness Ricardo¡¯s orders¡­ Are you thinking of going to the border area?¡± ¡°What¡­?¡± Bart¡¯s eyes and mouth opened again, and his nose fluttered with excitement. ¡°But, but the way to go¡­ Of course, there are ways to do it without the power of a wizard, but¡­¡± Still, it would take one month to move to the border area. Counting until the time to return back, they would at least abandon the Carpathia obligations for two months¡­ Bart wasn¡¯t an idiot who recklessly ran to one goal. Leonhard shook his head. ¡°If there is a wizard, what would it be?¡± ¡°Of course, I must go!¡± Bart jumped up from his seat. ¡°But how¡­ It¡¯s not easy for wizards belonging to the imperial family to do something like this¡­ Ah, maybe¡­¡± Bart¡¯s eyes turned to Celine. ¡°You seem to have mastered movement magic?!¡± ¡°No.¡± Celine answered with a slightly apologetic look. ¡°We need to practice large-scale movements from now on. That¡¯s why I came here.¡± The members of the Paradiso Knights, who had been training hard, were not surprised by the sudden call. This was because rumors had already spread that Leonhard Bernoulli had visited the building with the wizard who had destroyed Agathirsus together with him. ¡°Lord is ing to see us!¡± ¡°All we had been able to do was see each other from afar, but so close¡­¡± ¡°It is worthwhile to be a Carpathian.¡± The glow of envy and respect came on the faces of the members as they spat out one word at a time. To them, who were mostly new members with no background, Leonhard Bernoulli was close to a legend. Some members even said that it was their lifelong wish to perform a mission with Lord Bernoulli. Finally, Leonhard Bernoulli entered the training ground together with the knight¡¯s mander, Bart, who had a hard face. The quick-witted members had already noticed that something was unusual. ¡°Is something wrong?¡± ¡°There¡¯s no way we could have done something wrong already¡­¡± ¡°Isn¡¯t it because of the kid who drank and made a fuss then?¡± It seemed that some of them stared at the member who got drunk and smashed the bar door at the Carpathia party. ¡°There¡¯s no way the Lord could have e all the way here because of a¡­a moron like me!¡± The drunken member waved his hand, but his suspicions were not removed. Eventually, Bart opened his mouth slowly. ¡°I believe everyone will remember the border hunting contest.¡± The members nodded in unison. How could they forget the tournament that made them Carpathia? ¡°But, due to our lack of ability, we couldn¡¯t pletely wipe out the monsters in the border area. If that opportunity es again¡­¡± Bart shut his mouth for a moment at the thunderous cheers. ¡°Yes, you guys are right. We will go back to the border.¡± He pointed to the wizard with blonde hair and exceptionally large blue-gray eyes who had stood by Leonhard from the beginning. ¡°This is Lite Celine, who will take us to the border.¡± A murmur broke out among the members. It wasn¡¯t excitement and wele, it was a murmur filled with anxiety. ¡°What, what about the imperial wizards?¡± ¡°¡­This is what I say.¡± Leonhard quietly stepped forward. In an instant, the murmur subsided, and the entire training ground became as quiet as a dead mouse. ¡°I don¡¯t like speculation. I will be honest. His Highness Ricardo was against this mission.¡± ¡°¡­.!¡± Bart¡¯s eyes widened. Naturally, he intended to hide the Crown Prince¡¯s objections to the end. ¡°Therefore, none of the wizards belonging to the Imperial Family are participating in this mission.¡± Leonhard continued speaking calmly without changing his expression as the members looked increasingly startled. ¡°Instead, Lute Celine will do the movement magic. However, she is a beginner when it es to large-scale movement magic. Therefore¡­¡± The cool eyes, similar to those of a wild beast, stared at the members one by one. ¡°She has to practice large-scale movement magic until she masters it. Of course, the target will be the parties involved who will go to the border area.¡± If Bart had said the same thing, voices of discontent would have erupted throughout the training ground. However, it was Leonhard Bernoulli who spoke like a thunderbolt out of nowhere. The members were overwhelmed by the momentum and couldn¡¯t move, only looking at each other¡¯s eyes. Neither Leonhard, Bart, nor Celine said a word and remained silent. The pressure was on their side. ¡°¡­I will volunteer.¡± Finally, one raised his hand. ¡°Me, too.¡± ¡°I volunteer, too!¡± After a few people opened the door, it was easy from then on. In an instant, all the members became volunteers. Leonhard sighed. ¡°I will make one thing clear. Those who do not want to go do not need to go. There won¡¯t be any disadvantages. That¡¯s something I¡¯ve been discussing here with Commander Bart.¡± There was silence for a moment, and then someone spoke out from among the members. ¡°¡­It¡¯s okay. Unless that wizard over there cuts my body in half while practicing.¡± It was a joke, but no one laughed. This was because there was an urban legend of a wizard who was inexperienced in movement magic, who moved only the upper body, and the moved person died instantly. ¡°I promise. It¡¯s not going to happen.¡± Celine tried to laugh it off though her expression hardened. Of course, she wouldn¡¯t kill anyone, but there was a point. Before ing here, she practiced dozens or hundreds of times with Leonhard. At first, it continued to fall in the wrong place, but once she mastered it, there was no big problem in moving the two. The problem was that she had never tried to travel on a large scale or even long distances. She wanted to practice long distances from the beginning, but Leonhard opposed it. The reason was that if she didn¡¯t e back, she would keep the Paradiso Knights waiting. In the end, she accepted it because she had no idea about movement magic either. However, the decision was because it was practically nothing more than preparing for a long-distance large-scale movement from a blank slate. ¡®Would it be better to try long distances even if it was too much¡­ No, let¡¯s not be greedy.¡¯ Celine shook her head. No matter how far she went, if she couldn¡¯t move on a large scale, it would be a disaster. Didn¡¯t Leonhard say the same thing? Don¡¯t worry about accuracy. After all, if she had traveled quite a few distances, she could try that much again. ¡°Lute, I think you can start.¡± Commander Bart whispered cautiously. Celine blinked her eyes. ¡°Uh¡­ Where can I move them? First of all, we need to check if we can move this scale.¡± ¡°How about the entrance?¡± ¡°Good.¡± Celine took out the magic stone containing the elaborate movement magic she had prepared for two days. A huge flow of magic burst out of the magic stone, and Celine, Leonhard, and all the Paradiso Knights disappeared from the training ground in an instant. After a while. Celine¡¯s face turned pale blue. ¡®¡­Something happened.¡¯ They were all lying on unfamiliar grass. She did not know where this place was, but it was far from the entrance to the Paradiso Knight¡¯s quarters. Celine bit her lip. ¡®¡­I wish it wasn¡¯t far from the Imperial Capital.¡¯ Suddenly, cheers echoed from all directions. Celine looked up puzzledly at Bart as he ran towards her with a big smile. ¡®What¡­?¡¯ Chapter 65 ¡°Lute Celine! How did you do that?¡± ¡°What? I totally failed¡­¡± Celine stuttered her words in embarrassment. ¡°Failed¡­? Can¡¯t you see? This is the border area!¡± ¡°But, but the preparation¡­!¡± ¡°Who are we?¡± Bart smiled broadly. ¡°We need to be prepared for this so that we will not tarnish the name of the Carpathia.¡± As he said so, the members stood up, shaking the leaves and took their stance one by one. Meanwhile, Celine looked around. Commander Bart was right. The lush forests and grasses of the border area were nothing special, but those sheer ocher-colored cliffs existed only here. ¡°¡­.?¡± In an instant, it felt like her heart had stopped. ¡­Leonhard was nowhere to be seen. Celine swallowed a gulp and looked around her two or three times. However, Leonhard was still nowhere to be seen. All sorts of thoughts ran through her mind. Something wrong may have happened to him. No, obviously, something did go wrong. She should not attempt to do such a large-scale movement in the first place. Trying three or five people might have been the right answer¡­ ¡®But Leonhardt was the closest to me!¡¯ As she grabbed her dizzying head and tried to calm herself down, Bart asked cautiously. ¡°Lute? Are you okay?¡± ¡°¡­It¡¯s okay. Are all the members there?¡± Bart went silent for a moment. That brief time felt too long for her. ¡°Yes. But, the Lord¡­¡± Celine closed her eyes tightly. Her hands were trembling. ¡°He is not here.¡± * * * Leonhard stood up on the muddy ground. He immediately grasped the situation. ¡®It¡¯s definitely not the Imperial Capital.¡¯ The expansive swampy area in front of him was not something of the Imperial Capital. ¡®Celine¡­ not here.¡¯ Apparently, the magic to move him, Celine, and the Paradiso Knights to the entrance of the dormitory had largely failed. Leonhard frowned. It didn¡¯t matter that there were no other knights because they were the knights belonging to the Imperial Family. Besides, considering the skills they showed in Carpathia, wherever they were, they would do well. However, Celine was different. ¡®If she died while I¡¯m not there¡­¡¯ What was more, the magic failed and she would be in despair. ¡®She wouldn¡¯t even think of using the movement magic again.¡¯ Leonhard was deep in thought. Even if the movement magic had failed, there was no way that the flow of magic that had raged right next to him would have thrown only him to the wrong place. He did not know about the members of the Paradiso Knights, but at least, Celine would be in a place not far from him. ¡®The swamp¡­ should I go there?¡¯ Clearly, Celine wanted to find the swamp. However, these swamps would not be visible from a short distance away. Leonhardt looked around him slowly. ¡°¡­.!¡± A sheer ocher-colored cliff caught his eye, and he blinked his eyes a few times. An enlightenment came quickly. ¡­This was near the border area. And wherever Celine was, there was a good chance she was looking at that cliff. ¡®If I went up there, I could see clearly below.¡¯ Leonhard hastily moved his steps. Celine barely opened her eyes. She had to e to her senses. Currently, the strongest person here was her. Bart looked at her worriedly. ¡°¡­Are you really okay?¡± ¡°A little, I¡¯m not feeling that well.¡± ¡°You must have been surprised.¡± Bart nodded his head. ¡°Don¡¯t worry. Isn¡¯t he Lord Leonhard? Wherever he is, he will get through it.¡± ¡°¡­It would be.¡± Celine barely calmed her heart, which was still beating wildly. Bart was right. Even if Leonhard fell into a pit of fire, he would e out alive. Right now, she had no choice but to protect herself and these knights who arrived at the border out of nowhere. ¡°I need to find Leonhard first.¡± Bart raised an eyebrow, seemingly startled by the friendly title though he didn¡¯t say anything. ¡°It would be better. Anyway, we¡¯re here to wipe out all the boss monsters¡­¡± There were three boss monsters left in the border area. The result of that day was also largely due to the passive response of the monsters, frightened by the size of the imperial knights who had gathered at once. Now, their number was at most twenty. Without Leonhard, there was a high possibility that they would lose their life if they rushed to clear the boss monster. Celine pointed to the cliff. ¡°I will go alone.¡± ¡°Are you okay?¡± ¡°I am confident in my attack magic.¡± As she got up slowly, Celine stared at the ocher-colored cliffs. It was a pity that she couldn¡¯t use her movement magic arbitrarily. ¡®¡­Even if it were easy, I wouldn¡¯t have used it.¡¯ Right after Celine failed, she was not reckless enough to try the same spell again. She started running hastily towards the cliff. ¡®I¡¯m glad Celine isn¡¯t here.¡¯ Leonhard thought blankly. The swamp area was harder to walk than he thought, and the cliff was farther than it looked. If Celine were here, she would be exhausted very quickly. ¡®I wanted to let her rest.¡¯ After what happened at the volcano, he thought she should rest for a while, but the situation took a turn for the worse. Sudden summons to the imperial capital, hunting contest, and even Commander Bart¡¯s request¡­ His apologetic feeling only increased because it was all done regardless of Celine¡¯s will. ¡®¡­I hope she doesn¡¯t blame herself.¡¯ Still, Celine would blame herself and somehow would try to find him. Leonhard¡¯s pace quickened. Celine lightly skipped the twigs and lush thorn bushes lying on the grass. ¡®Hermes¡¯ Shoes¡¯ was really great. She knew how easily she glided. If it weren¡¯t for the shoes, she would have stumbled and died sooner. ¡®Is the true ending route removing the causes of death one by one?¡¯ In the normal ending, the main character escaped to a safe place forever, avoiding the enemies pursuing her. She heard that the main character in the true ending route was utterly free from the curse, but in fact, it may be where all causes of death were eliminated. After a long while, she reached the end of the ascent as she climbed the cliff out of breath. ¡°¡ªne!¡± ¡°¡­.!¡± In an instant, Celine¡¯s body swung back. It had been a while since she had fallen. She heard clearly the voice of the man she had longed to see. Leonhard, with his hair wet with sweat, was running towards her. Luckily, she got her balance just before she fell. ¡°You have to be careful.¡± A voice mixed with laughter came upon her. Celine did not answer. ¡®Leonhard is safe. He fell because of me¡­ It¡¯s okay, though. Still, what about the mud? Has he been in a dangerous situation? Still, it¡¯s Leonhard¡­¡¯ All kinds of thoughts ran into each other in her head, and she couldn¡¯t get the right words out. Leonhard knelt down to make eye contact with her, who was almost hunched over. ¡°You have nothing to worry about. Are the Paradiso members scattered?¡± Celine barely came to her senses. Leonhard gave her priorities with one simple question¡­ She, Leonhard, and members of the Paradiso Knights all arrived safely at the border. ¡°No, no. All with me¡­¡± ¡°With you?¡± Leonhard¡¯s eyebrows twitched. As Celine was climbing the cliff alone, she thought, of course, the members of the Paradiso Knights had also been scattered. ¡°Did they tell you to go alone? A place full of monsters?¡± ¡°Ah, I said I would e here alone!¡± Celine hurriedly waved her hand. ¡°I can deal with monsters well on my own, but it¡¯s difficult for knights to disperse¡­¡± ¡°¡­.¡± Leonhardt wiped the words that were bubbling inside him and looked at Celine with a smile. How could she deal with monsters well on her own? This wasn¡¯t just a place where little monsters flocked. This was the border area where the boss monsters who had been neglected for a long time and had increased intelligence were hiding in the dark. Even if Celine was right, it was different when traveling alone than with a knight who was capable of destroying monsters. ¡°¡­Couldn¡¯t you all e together?¡± ¡°Ah.¡± Celine blinked her eyes. Come to think of it, she hadn¡¯t thought of that at all. She could have climbed this cliff together with the knights and asked to figure out the situation¡­ ¡°I didn¡¯t think of that. With you, they¡¯re safe¡­ we should all e together.¡± Leonhard sighed. Celine missed the point that she would be safe, too, but he didn¡¯t want to scold her. ¡°Celine.¡± ¡°¡­.?¡± The blue-grey eyes widened. ¡°I¡­ I can¡¯t always be by your side.¡± ¡°I know. You¡¯ve been away for a long time.¡± Celine responded quickly. She had no idea what Leonhard was trying to say. ¡®Do I look like I can¡¯t do anything without Leonhard¡­ No, right?¡¯ As she thought so, Celine bit her lip. Until now, she had tried not to depend on him as much as she could, and Leonhard knew that well. ¡°No.¡± Leonhard shook his head. ¡°So suddenly, when you don¡¯t expect¡­ When you need me, I may not be with you.¡± Celine took her breath. ¡°Then, ask for help from others. You didn¡¯t e here alone because you didn¡¯t believe in the Paradiso Knights.¡± There was silence. Leonhard looked anxiously at Celine¡¯s unreadable face as her face changed every minute. Very slowly, her mouth eventually moved. ¡°¡­What about Leonhard?¡± ¡°¡­.?¡± Leonhard went silent for a moment. ¡°I¡­¡± The words did not flow properly. Obviously, there was plenty of room to answer. He himself was much stronger than Celine. No, he had no one to follow him in the Empire¡­ If he asked someone for help, he would be ridiculed. However, what made him shut his mouth was that he, in fact, had asked for Celine¡¯s help. One day he couldn¡¯t sleep without her presence. ¡°¡­I¡¯ll do the same.¡± ¡°Really?¡± ¡°¡­.¡± ¡°If it were Leonhard, you would have e here alone. Am I wrong?¡± He could not object. Celine glanced at his expression and hesitated. ¡°Don¡¯t make that face, because I didn¡¯t mean to mess you¡­ It¡¯s just that I find it difficult to ask for help, too.¡± She did not give an exact reason. How would she say here that she always felt like a stranger? Fortunately, Leonhard seemed to have roughly understood what she was saying. ¡°I got it. Then¡­ Try not to get away from me as much as possible.¡± Celine smiled instead of answering. It was a sufficient answer for Leonhard. Chapter 66 Celine immediately led Leonhard to the place where the Paradiso Knights had gathered. None of the members, including Bart, were surprised that he appeared intact. ¡°Where were you?¡± ¡°In the swamp.¡± ¡°¡­.!¡± The blue-gray eyes widened. ¡°There was nothing.¡± Leonhard added simply, but Celine¡¯s heart wouldn¡¯t stop beating. The stage seemed to be activated the moment she, the player, entered it. ¡®¡­I won¡¯t know until I check.¡¯ However, now was the time to focus on defeating monsters. Celine listened to Leonhard¡¯s cold voice, giving her instructions in a familiar manner. ¡°The first goal is to bring out the boss monsters. If you rush in without thinking, there¡¯s a high possibility that the bosses will hide. To make your strength look weak, fight the monsters only with the minimum.¡± Her body stiffened with tension. This mission was completely different from before. However, the members of the Paradiso Knights all seemed convinced. ¡°According to reports, among the boss monsters, there are monsters that are as powerful and clever. If we can¡¯t kill it, there¡¯s no point in coming here. It¡¯ll be Lute Celine and me who will be dealing with it.¡± Leonhard paused for a moment. ¡°And¡­ Whatever you do, don¡¯t go into the forest. It¡¯s okay to run away to live though you must not go into the forest.¡± Bart bluffed from the side. ¡°Lord, don¡¯t worry. I will cut down with my own hands anyone who ventures out into the woods.¡± ¡°You won¡¯t have to.¡± For a moment, a chilly silence fell. There was no one who did not understand the meaning of the words. They waited for monsters to emerge from the forest, just like during the hunting contest. Nonetheless, until the sun began to tilt westward over their head, not a single monster could be seen. Eventually, Bart spoke carefully. ¡°Maybe, they moved somewhere after the hunting contest?¡± ¡°No.¡± Leonhard glared at the dense forest that looked black. ¡°It will still be in there.¡± ¡°Why¡­¡± ¡°Gathering forces. They must be building enough to wipe us out all at once.¡± At those words, Bart¡¯s face turned blue. ¡°Then, shouldn¡¯t we attack before that!¡± ¡°How?¡± ¡°Enter the base¡­¡± As he said those words, Bart shut his mouth. It was because the monster¡¯s base was that eerie forest¡­ Wasn¡¯t it the place where Leonhard had warned him not to enter? ¡°Just wait.¡± ¡°Yes.¡± In the end, Bart only nodded his head. Even a three-year-old would know that it was right to follow Leonhard¡¯s judgment. It went on for a long time. As the shadows in the forest had grown thicker and no longer felt like shadows, without any warning, monsters poured out from all sides. Since this was an expected situation, no one in the Paradiso Knights was taken aback. ¡°Remember! Deal with the minimum.¡± Bart raised his voice and shouted without Leonhard needing to remind him again. At the same time as shouts of affirmation were heard from all sides, the members of the Paradiso Knights moved swiftly. Leonhard kept a sharp eye on the Paradiso Knights¡¯ movements without missing a moment. The Paradiso Knights¡¯ movements weren¡¯t flashy, but they were orderly and free of clutter. ¡®This should be enough.¡¯ Leonhard, who was relaxed, called Celine, who was standing in a daze, not knowing what to do. ¡°Stay with me.¡± At his words, she entrusted her body to Leonhard¡¯s hand, who was pulling her carefully. Strangely, the monsters that were infesting everywhere didn¡¯t even come close to them. ¡°Why won¡¯t they come?¡± ¡°¡­They are clever. Too much.¡± ¡°This must all be because of that boss monster, right?¡± Celine recalled the most powerful boss monster he had mentioned. ¡°Yes. According to reports, it knows how to distinguish between people, and it knows how to strategize accordingly.¡± ¡°A monster? No way¡­¡± She remembered Agathirsus. Celine thought it was a base for old monsters though it was actually a base for a hundred-year-old warlock. Leonhardt shook his head. ¡°It certainly isn¡¯t.¡± ¡°How do you know?¡± ¡°There was a wizard who infiltrated deep into the forest and succeeded in getting out.¡± An anxiety overtook Celine. It was because Leonhard¡¯s words were in the past tense. ¡°¡­Are they okay?¡± ¡°I watched them die.¡± Leonhardt replied briefly. ¡°¡­.!¡± Her eyes widened in astonishment. They must be quite skilled enough to infiltrate that forest. ¡°Some say that even that death seems to have been calculated¡­ Just to give me a warning and die right away.¡± His words choked her. ¡°Really, it¡¯s like a human.¡± ¡°There isn¡¯t that much difference between a highly developed boss monster and a warlock.¡± Leonhard replied bitterly as he went on. ¡°Sometimes I don¡¯t even feel the need to tell them apart.¡± ¡°Still, warlocks were once human¡­¡± ¡°What¡¯s the use of being once human? All they have in their head is the need to slaughter for power.¡± Celine flinched. His answer was somewhat sharp. ¡°I wasn¡¯t saying Warlock was better. It¡¯s just that it¡¯s different.¡± ¡°¡­Yes. That¡¯s right.¡± A sigh escaped from Leonhard¡¯s mouth. ¡°Warlocks were once¡­¡± Still, Celine could guess what was behind the words that she couldn¡¯t hear. Warlocks were once¡­ wizards. ¡­Like her. The Paradiso Knights fought hard. It was never due to a lack of skill. Fighting against the monsters but obeying Leonhard¡¯s order to look weak was harder than fighting the boss monster with all their might. Besides, Leonhard was standing without even lifting a finger. Doubts and dissatisfaction could have erupted, but no one said anything suspicious of him. No one knows more about monsters than Leonhard Bernoulli. The Paradiso Knights had always been a neglected Knights¡¯ Order, and they had grown more substantial for the opportunity that would come one day. Everyone, from Knight Commander Bart to the newbies, explored Leonhard¡¯s every move. It didn¡¯t take long for them to come to the conclusion that there was no authority like Leonhard in everything from battles with monsters, first aid to injuries suffered by monsters, and disposal of corpses. The Paradiso Knights trusted Leonhard as a result of strict observation. It was the same now when their life was threatened in return for hiding their skills. ¡°¡­.!¡± ¡°What is this¡­!¡± Suddenly, screams of astonishment erupted from all directions. The sky and the ground vibrated¡ªat least, Celine and the members of the Paradiso Knights felt that way. The ground shook as if an earthquake had occurred, and even the trees in the forest staggered. Only Leonhard glared at the forest with an unwavering expression. ¡ªThud ¡ªThud ¡ªThud Celine swallowed a gulp. Her hands trembled as she gathered her magic to the fullest. She was able to intuit that soon, a powerful force of boss monsters would appear. Eventually, all three of the boss monsters appeared in the darkness. ¡°What is that¡ª¡± The faces of the Paradiso Knights, who had easily dealt with the boss monster just a few days ago, turned blue. It was because three different boss monsters, different from the one killed that day, appeared. ¡®¡­Hornet?¡¯ Celine doubted her eyes. The appearances of the boss monsters she had seen so far were far from sophisticated. Except for one time when they imitated the appearance of a child in front of Leonhard. However, the boss monsters that had now appeared under the sunlight¡­ It looked like a giant wasp, exceeding human height. Her eyes wandered frantically over the two twinkling eyes, six legs with sharp spikes, and a huge stinger that could easily be one meter long. ¡°These, too¡­ Are they monsters?¡± An unknown member muttered blankly. ¡°Looks like they imitated a bee. It¡¯s not what it really is.¡± ¡°Is that even possible?¡± ¡°Things with high intelligence can turn into children. Don¡¯t let your guard down.¡± ¡°Who would let their guard down?¡± Bart responded right away. Fortunately, the Paradiso Knights calmly prepared their formations without panicking for a while. ¡°¡­Leonhard.¡± Leonhard nodded his head very slightly at her call. At exactly that moment, Celine¡¯s magic power surged up like a geyser. She could feel her feet lift off the ground, and her hair rose. The magic power that enveloped her whole body hummed more powerfully than ever before. The next moment, she spread her exploding magic all over. The monsters not far away from where she was standing were burned and collapsed. Celine suppressed her urge to sweep the fields. It was time for her to conserve her magic. They slowly approached the biggest boss monster. The black, human-sized eyes didn¡¯t move, but she could feel them looking this way. Leonhard immediately leaped towards it. The appearance mimics a wasp, but not the original appearance, so it was just a shell. He was thinking of splitting it with a single knife. ¡°Leonhard!¡± A scream escaped Celine¡¯s mouth. Leonhard¡¯s sword slipped off the wasp¡¯s hard head, and the colossal wasp immediately soared into the air, moving in a streamlined fashion. The place the wasp headed was the Paradiso Knights, who were still struggling. Celine intuitively realized. She didn¡¯t know why, but she knew that they realized they couldn¡¯t fight and defeat Leonhardt. ¡®How.¡­!¡¯ Until now, the monsters rushed at Leonhard, unknown whether they cared for their own lives or not. It was obvious. How would a monster with only the instinct to kill know to avoid him? The two immediately chased after the giant wasp but were quickly blocked by countless hordes of monsters. ¡°Leonhard, that¡­¡± ¡°I know.¡± Rashir drew a curve and decapitated dozens of monsters in an instant. ¡°Celine, move them to safety while I distract them.¡± ¡°To, to go back¡­¡± Celine blurred her words and put her hand in her pocket, and touched the magic stone that was imprinted with movement magic. Even though she used the highest quality magic stone for large-scale movement magic, it was limited to only two uses. ¡°That¡¯s better.¡± ¡°Leonhardt!¡± ¡°Send them back.¡± ¡°But then I, the caster, too¡­!¡± Her words suddenly stopped. ¡°¡­That¡¯s what Leonhardt wants. For me to go back with the knights.¡± Leonhard did not deny it. ¡°Their behavior is bizarre. It¡¯s too dangerous for you and the Paradiso Knights to deal with.¡± ¡°Even the knights wouldn¡¯t want it.¡± ¡°Even if they don¡¯t want to, they will obey my order.¡± At those words, she was silent for a moment. No matter how many monsters she killed in front of her eyes, there was no end in sight as other monsters trampled on the corpses and filled their position. Leonhard opened his mouth calmly as if he thought Celine was convinced. ¡°Do not worry. I¡¯m going to cut them all down and go back. If you wait a bit¡­¡± ¡°Leonhard.¡± Celine cut a straight line between them and the Paradiso Knights, and she interrupted Leonhard. The new monsters that tried to fill the space by stepping on the corpses were also knocked down by the blazing flames. ¡°How about catching them in a safer place?¡± ¡°What are you talking about?¡± ¡°For example¡­ The training ground of the Paradiso Knights.¡± Chapter 67 Leonhard didn¡¯t ask every word. After all, Celine¡¯s plan was clear. She would take herself, Leonhard, and all of the Paradiso Knights, as well as the three boss monsters, and moved to the Imperial Capital. ¡°We might fall somewhere other than the training ground.¡± ¡°There¡¯s no chance of that.¡± She immediately denied it. In the first place, movement magic had always been a set of two. Magic that allowed them to move anywhere they wanted and magic that allowed them to return to their original location. His head spun quickly. If Celine went back with the Paradiso Knights, she would be safe for now. However, what next? Would she alone be able to withstand the warlocks¡¯ threat while waiting for him? And, if she got kidnapped¡­ He would never be able to forgive himself. Still, in terms of the mission, Celine was right. Leonhard was well aware of his limitations. He couldn¡¯t defeat all three boss monsters by himself. At best, the two weakest and conceivably get the other one hurt so bad that it was difficult to go back¡­ Nonetheless, he never mentioned any of these facts. ¡°¡­It wouldn¡¯t hurt to give them a new building as a gift.¡± ¡°I see?¡± Her voice brightened. Although the building currently used by the Paradiso Knights was newly renovated after being selected as Carpathia, it was still the worst among the Knights belonging to the Imperial family. Then, Celine grabbed the magic stone imprinted with the movement magic. The moment Leonhard notified the knights, he planned to move them immediately. ¡°Move now.¡± ¡°¡­.?¡± Celine hesitated. Even if Leonhard was the one who said it, she couldn¡¯t help but hesitate. ¡°Please.¡± However, there was no time, and she could see that the Paradiso Knights were getting tired every minute. In the end, she nodded her head and released her magic. ¡°Huh¡­?¡± ¡°Lord, this is¡­!¡± ¡°Lute!¡± Shouts full of astonishment resounded in all directions for a moment but were soon mixed with the powerful flow of magical power. The next moment, the middle of the field, which had been filled with monsters, became empty as if there was a hole in it. ¡°Hoooo¡­¡± In Celine¡¯s eyes, the training ground she had seen before being thrown into the border area came into her eyes. ¡®Thank god.¡¯ She had answered confidently to Leonhard though she couldn¡¯t help but feel uneasy inside. Even if there was an error, wouldn¡¯t it be too big an error¡­? Celine sighed and sat down on the floor as things seemed to be a bit of a stretch today. Today, she hadn¡¯t even thought about fighting the boss monsters in the border area when she went to the Paradiso Knights¡¯ quarters. Leonhard gently placed his hand on her shoulder. ¡°Rest.¡± ¡°I can¡¯t¡­ Leonhard!¡± Before Celine could answer properly, he strode toward the Paradiso Knights, who had not yet come to their senses. ¡°Lord, what is this!¡± Commander Bart shouted as he slashed the monsters that were running towards him. ¡°Everyone would die if they were there.¡± ¡°Still, this¡ª!¡± ¡°You guys, just focus on slashing the remnants. I¡¯ll deal with the rest.¡± It didn¡¯t take long for Bart to respond. ¡°¡­Yes!¡± The members also quickly formed a formation. There were still some members who looked bewildered, but in the situation, the monsters attacked them right away. Because of that, they were left with no choice but to straighten their mind and straighten their sword. Leonhard glared at the boss monsters, who looked bewildered like the underlings. ¡®¡­Meaningful intelligence.¡¯ He had cut down many boss monsters. Among them, there were quite a few that he felt were intelligent. Still, all of their intelligence was based only on the instinct for killing and surviving. He didn¡¯t like the fact that the current boss monster was observing all directions with a look of bewilderment. ¡®Well, the Imperial Family will study it.¡¯ All he had to do was slash these things as fast as a few seconds, extract the cores, and report them along with their behavior. Leonhard started targeting the weakest-looking one. ¡®I can¡¯t leave them alone.¡¯ Celine anxiously looked at Leonhard, who was charging at the boss monster. Even though he was confident, he had already instructed the Paradiso Knights to defeat only the small monsters. Since the Paradiso Knights believed in him like a stone, they would never break his command. Even if it hadn¡¯t been long since she met Leonhard, she would have also followed his advice. ¡®¡­I know now.¡¯ No matter what people in this world think, Leonhard Bernoulli was by no means immortal. Even though he himself didn¡¯t even think he was going to die, he was a person who had almost died more than once or twice. Leonhard would still be seriously injured without help. ¡®¡­Three boss monsters all at once. Does that make sense?¡¯ Celine gritted her teeth and stood up. Cold sweat dripped down like rain, and her legs trembled, but she didn¡¯t care about trivial things like that. Leonhard aimed for the giant wasp¡¯s joints. As if they still couldn¡¯t get out of the shock, the panicked boss monster soared up to the ceiling and soon crashed into the solid roof. Although the ceiling cracked and split in an instant, it did not collapse. Seeing that, the corners of Leonhard¡¯s mouth went up slightly. ¡®I knew it would be like this.¡¯ He stabbed the wasp that had hit the ceiling with Rashir like a wasp stuck on a pin. ¡ªBoom. At that moment, the biggest boss monster attacked him. Leonhard transformed Rashir into a giant shield, but he was pushed back by the impact. ¡ªHrrrr. Blue flames enveloped him and the boss monsters all at once. Not Rashir¡¯s fire, which burned everything but himself though someone else¡¯s fire. ¡®¡­Celine.¡¯ Leonhard¡¯s face hardened. His heart sank as soon as he saw Celine¡¯s pale complexion immediately after the movement magic ended. Why, he didn¡¯t even have to ask. It wasn¡¯t the first time that her magical energy was drained. Still, she worked her magic again¡­ to help him. He tightened his grip on Rashir. There was no point in reprimanding Celine now or later. It was because he didn¡¯t have enough skills to easily handle the boss monster by himself. Because of that, he had no choice but to make the most of the help he had received. Leonhard did not move for long. Thanks to the powerful flames created by Celine, the wings of the boss monsters burned and fell to the ground. If given a little time, the boss monsters would have restored their wings in no time. However, he immediately found several vital points and did not hesitate for a second. ¡ªChang! ¡ªChang! ¡ªChang! With a metallic sound, all the heads of the three boss monsters fell off. It was ridiculously easy. Leonhard immediately ran towards her. Neither the cheers of the knights nor Commander Bart¡¯s voice of admiration could be heard. Standing against the wall, Celine put her head down, perhaps because she was not feeling well. ¡°Cel, Celine¡­¡± As Leonhard¡¯s voice trembled as he called her name, Celine raised her head. A feeling of relief enveloped him. She seemed fine, at least appearance-wise. ¡°Leonhardt, this¡­¡± ¡°¡­.?¡± She didn¡¯t talk about the boss monsters or about her own condition. Her nerves were engulfed by the transparent orb in her hand. ¡°¡­.!¡± Leonhard¡¯s eyes widened. It was a crystal ball that he hadn¡¯t seen for a while and didn¡¯t exist until a little while ago. Every time it broke, there were phrases to follow. ¡°Where was it?¡± ¡°Lou spat it out.¡± ¡°Lou?¡± Saying so, he glanced at Lou, the dragon wrapped around Celine¡¯s wrist, with a surprised look. Lou seemed satisfied and let out a small ember, then closed its eyes and laid its eyes halfway down. ¡°Lord!¡± They could hear Bart¡¯s voice. Celine immediately put the orb into her pocket. She was not enough of a fool to attempt suicide in the presence of the Knights. She had to wait until she got back to the hotel. * * * Leonhard knew something was wrong. It was because Celine would frown and chewed her lips whenever she was in big trouble. There was something wrong with her behaving like this outside the battlefield. ¡°What¡¯s the problem?¡± ¡°Yes?¡± The blue-grey eyes widened. ¡°Aren¡¯t you worried about something?¡± ¡°No, no.¡± Celine waved her hand vigorously, only deepening Leonhard¡¯s suspicion. ¡°Is it something that you can¡¯t tell me?¡± ¡°It¡¯s nothing. Really!¡± Celine knew this much. This was not a matter to inform and consult with Leonhard. ¡®Go into the room and stab yourself once with the Ringzor. Then, you¡¯ll be able to receive the next quest.¡¯ Even though she wouldn¡¯t actually die, she didn¡¯t know why she felt so uncomfortable. As so thought so, Celine bit her lip again. ¡­No, she actually knew well. ¡®The crystal ball was my life in this game.¡¯ Even now that she was in the game, things were not really different. If she didn¡¯t attempt suicide, one day, this would save her life. Instead, she would find out about the quest late. However, Leonhard¡¯s fate was at stake¡­ ¡°Celine.¡± Startled by Leonhard¡¯s voice, she raised her head. The deep blue eyes had a mysterious aura as he watched her. ¡°It bleeds.¡± ¡°Ah, ah.¡± She could taste the taste of blood in her mouth. Celine was flustered, unable to direct her gaze. She felt uncomfortable because she seemed to be advertising in front of Leonhard that she was not okay. ¡°¡­There is a problem, something.¡± At those words, she couldn¡¯t bear to answer and hesitated. He had already noticed that there was trouble, so prolonging things would only make things worse. ¡®I shouldn¡¯t say anything¡­¡¯ Still, Celine¡¯s tongue betrayed her brain and ran wild. ¡°I was contemplating whether I should break the crystal ball or not.¡± ¡°As expected. I thought you might be worried about that.¡± ¡°Yes?¡± Leonhard looked at her, who was startled, incredulously. ¡°You told me. The crystal ball prevents your death. So, that means¡­¡± ¡°Yes, it only breaks if I try to die.¡± He immediately opened his mouth with a face full of words but immediately closed it. Feeling a little guilty, Celine avoided Leonhard¡¯s gaze. He seemed to be struggling with words to speak to her, trying to hurt her as little as possible. ¡°When you break it, does it hurt?¡± ¡°Oh, no. I just seem to absorb it as it is. It¡¯s just¡­ the reason I¡¯m worried is, if I have this, I can never die.¡± ¡°¡­.¡± As he stared at the crystal ball in her hand for a while, Celine seemed to know what was in his head. ¡®I¡¯m sure he¡¯s thinking about how to convince me to wait until the crystal ball breaks on its own.¡¯ Finally, Leonhard¡¯s mouth opened slowly. ¡°¡­.!¡± The blue-grey eyes widened. Celine couldn¡¯t believe her own ears. It was because unexpected words flowed out of his mouth instead. Chapter 68 ¡°Wake up.¡± ¡°What¡­?¡± ¡°Didn¡¯t you say that you¡¯re not actually dying, and you¡¯re not hurt?¡± ¡°Right.¡± ¡°It¡¯s a hundred times better to see it now than to panic about what the hell is inside.¡± ¡°Yes, it is.¡± Leonhard gazed at Celine, who was still staring at the crystal ball in bewilderment. ¡°Why, did you think I would stop you?¡± ¡°Yes. So I was a bit surprised.¡± She answered honestly. Celine thought, of course, that she would run into strong opposition from him. Meanwhile, Leonhard was still staring at the crystal ball. ¡°If you wait, this might save your life for once.¡± He stretched out his arm and lightly touched the surface of the crystal ball. ¡°However¡­ After this breaks?¡± ¡°Then, I had no choice but to die. Anyway, I think that I died less thanks to this.¡± ¡°Celine.¡± Noticing the tension in his voice, Celine stared at him in bewilderment. What was the reason Leonhard was so nervous right now? ¡°Do you have any thoughts of not wanting to die¡­ None at all?¡± ¡°What are you talking about?¡± She blinked her eyes for a moment. It seemed that she had no sense at all. Obviously, from his point of view, weren¡¯t the two of them trying to break the curse of her death? At the same time, Leonhard seemed to realize what a misunderstanding had occurred only when he saw Celine¡¯s dazed face. ¡°Apart from the curse, you might not die.¡± ¡°The curse can be lifted, but isn¡¯t it okay if I don¡¯t have to die before the curse is lifted?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± Celine stared at Leonhard. While she tried to comprehend it, it made no sense. It was the curse that caused her to die over and over again. ¡°Until the curse is lifted, I have no choice but to die.¡± ¡°No.¡± Leonhard shook his head. ¡°The day it was discovered that you have the qualities of a wizard¡­ Do you remember what you said to me?¡± ¡°Ah.¡± Celine immediately realized when Leonhard was talking about enemies. ¡°I won¡¯t die anymore¡­¡± ¡°That¡¯s right.¡± Leonhard tried to keep calm though he failed to hide his agitation. ¡°At that time, I wondered what strange things you were saying. I thought it was nonsense peculiar to a person who had just manifested her powers. Still, that was a prophecy, wasn¡¯t it?¡± Celine moistened the inside of her dry mouth as she could feel a cold sweat run down her spine. In the meantime, every single word she threw at him carelessly came back with a weight that was never light. She couldn¡¯t deny it because it fits the usage of ¡®prophecy¡¯ she used. ¡®No¡­¡¯ Suddenly, Celine realized. ¡­Leonhard was never the kind of person who blindly believed in prophecy. Of course, it was true that he believed in her ¡®prophecy¡¯ and followed it. However, Celine was not stupid enough not to know that it was a trust in her rather than because he believed the prophecy. There must be another reason why he said that he believed in the prophecy. Slowly, she calmed down her body, which trembled with tension. ¡°Yes. It was a prophecy.¡± Celine¡¯s voice no longer trembled with anxiety, nor did her words falter with uncertainty. ¡°Still, now I think it was a false prophecy. It¡¯s just one of my many false predictions because I kept dying after that.¡± ¡°I don¡¯t think it was a false prophecy.¡± ¡°¡­.?¡± Leonhard took a deep breath. He felt more tension than when he faced the three boss monsters all at once. It wasn¡¯t really easy to get the words out of his mouth. But now, his intuition, trained on the battlefield for a long time, was shouting. ¡­If not now, there was no chance. Leonhard opened his heavy mouth, thinking of Celine, who had helped him while eating away at her life at the training ground. ¡°I really want you to try not to die. Thinking of only your life¡­¡± Celine couldn¡¯t stop her body from flinching. In an instant, sparks flew from her eyes. Even though Leonhard¡¯s words jumped out of context, she understood them right away. ¡°Leonhard, I never wanted to die! How, how much I¡ª!¡± It was difficult to even connect the words because of the heat rising from her throat. She couldn¡¯t believe that she could be so angry with just one word. ¡°I¡¯m trying not to die¡­!¡± ¡°Celine.¡± Leonhard hurriedly snatched Celine¡¯s words from her. ¡°I am not blaming you.¡± Originally, he was going to wait for her agitation to subside, but he thought it would only accelerate. ¡°But think about it. You¡­ Can you put your hand over your heart and say that your life is our top priority?¡± ¡°¡­.¡± Celine¡¯s lips trembled before stopping. It felt like the words froze in unison as they fluttered on the tip of her tongue, trying to escape her mouth. ¡°You suffered a death you should not have to, to protect me.¡± ¡°¡­.¡± ¡°Of course, you would think that my life and your life are different.¡± ¡°Of course it is.¡± ¡°Of course not.¡± Leonhard shook his head. ¡°Even if you come back to life, it won¡¯t change the fact that you died. You don¡¯t have to die, Celine.¡± He stopped looking at Celine¡­ no, he couldn¡¯t look. Leonhard continued his words with his gaze directed into the air. ¡°It is not your fault that things have happened so far. It must be more my fault.¡± ¡°Leonhard¡­!¡± ¡°I know you almost died when your magic was depleted.¡± ¡°¡­.!¡± The blue-grey eyes opened wide, not just in amazement but a mixture of astonishment, fear, and shame. ¡°I thought you wouldn¡¯t know.¡± Celine lowered her head slightly. ¡°Still, then I¡­ All I could think about was helping Leonhardt. Three bosses at once are impossible for anyone¡­¡± At that time, she helped Leonhard with all her might. All over her body, it screamed that she was going to die like this, but it didn¡¯t even bother her. It was no coincidence that Lou spat out the crystal ball. Celine sucked the magical energy back from Lou as much as possible. The reason Lou spat out the crystal ball might have been due to her struggle in agony. Leonhard smiled bitterly. ¡°The Knights of Paradiso didn¡¯t think so.¡± ¡°I know better than them. If I hadn¡¯t helped, Leonhard would¡­¡± ¡°It¡¯s not that you¡¯re wrong. The three boss monsters were a bunch so it would have been much harder without your help¡­ Thank you.¡± Leonhard continued his words before Celine could say anything. ¡°However, that¡¯s not a reason to give up your life.¡± ¡°If I hadn¡¯t helped¡­¡± ¡°I would not have died. If I need it, I have that medicine.¡± ¡°¡­.¡± Celine lost her words. He was right. Even if she hadn¡¯t helped him, Leonhard wouldn¡¯t have died. ¡°I see.¡± Leonhard touched the crystal ball slowly again with his finger. ¡°Even when you didn¡¯t have this, you didn¡¯t think about your life. But if this is the case, even more so. So I told you to wake up.¡± ¡°¡­.¡± Celine looked into the crystal ball. An unrealistic object that feels transparent like glass but does not reflect anything. Leonhard¡¯s point was correct. Without this, she might even more aggressively try to take her own life. ¡°Come to think of it, you always did. Even though you didn¡¯t want death more than anyone else, you risked your life to help me.¡± ¡°Leonhard¡­¡± ¡°The biggest cause is, of course, me. Because I don¡¯t have enough strength, I have no choice but to borrow your strength.¡± She caught her breath. ¡®I can¡¯t believe Leonhard was thinking this way.¡¯ Her own death was nobody¡¯s fault, a disaster that came suddenly one day¡­ that was all. ¡®No matter how hard I try, I can only reduce the number of deaths, but I can¡¯t avoid death at all¡­¡¯ Suddenly, Celine¡¯s eyes widened. ¡®What Leonhard wanted to say was this.¡¯ ¡­He wasn¡¯t talking about himself. He was talking about her. A sharp voice came out. ¡°You think that if I change, I won¡¯t die.¡± ¡°¡­It¡¯s not your fault.¡± He hesitantly continued, ¡°I didn¡¯t want to¡­ say this. You risked your life mainly because it was to help me.¡± His gaze wandered not towards Celine but towards the wall beyond her. ¡°Celine, I won¡¯t tell you to trust me anymore because I often showed my embarrassing side. Nevertheless¡­ can¡¯t you value your life?¡± Surely, had he asked just an hour earlier, she would have answered the same question without hesitation, saying she already did. Though now, Celine¡¯s throat seemed to choke on something, and nothing came out. Leonhard stood up slowly. ¡°You don¡¯t have to decide now. I¡¯m just¡­asking for it.¡± Celine just sat there blankly until Leonhard had completely left the place, and she heard the door slam shut. The next moment, she glanced into the crystal ball. In fact, from the beginning, she wanted to break this herself. Leonhard also wanted to break this. Although it was ironic that their reasons were diametrically opposed. ¡®If he sees that I¡¯ve woken up¡­ he¡¯ll be relieved for now.¡¯ She swallowed a gulp. Still, she knew all too well that Leonhard didn¡¯t mean it. He wanted Celine to value her life¡­ to cherish them just like everyone else¡¯s normal lives, not simply to not feel pain. The thought reminded her of her normal life so long ago that it brought tears to her eyes. Celine bit her lip. The answer was fixed. As Celine rose slowly from her seat, she went into her own room. The orb shone softly on her white hand. ¡®I¡¯m sorry, Leonhard.¡¯ She might have followed his words if she had really been born in this world and was caught up in a mysterious curse. Despite that, she knew all too well that she could never treat her own life like ordinary life. She was the main character and player of this game. That was also actually playing the game. As she picked up Ringzor, Celine thought about jumping out the window, but she didn¡¯t want to attract any attention. She then closed her eyes tightly and drew her magic into Ringzor. There was quite a bit of strength in her hands, as she had a gut feeling that if she messed with it, she would only get hurt. ¡ªCrack. She poured out enough magic to end her life, but only a small rupture could be heard. When she slowly opened her eyes, the shattered crystal orb greeted her. Celine carefully pulled out the parchment from within. [ Prepare, then wait. ] The parchment fell from her hand. ¡°¡­.!¡± Her hands trembled with excitement. For the first time, the quest that Celine remembers exactly had appeared. The text on the parchment was the same as the quest on the screen that was still vivid in her mind. This was a quest that announced the final stage. Chapter 69 Leonhard paced the room nervously. ¡®¡­I should have stayed with her.¡¯ Still, he felt that if Celine chose to break the crystal ball, he should never see it. Even if it wasn¡¯t real life, he already knew the secret of the crystal ball, so the weight was different. As he sat down on the couch and pulled Rashir out of the scabbard, letting some of his magic flowm a blue light flashed across the blade. ¡®¡­I¡¯m weak.¡¯ Leonhard sighed. After he met Celine, he realized how arrogant he had been¡­ it was the same now. It was arrogance that he was strong enough to protect Celine. If he were strong enough that Celine wouldn¡¯t risk her life for worrying about him right now, it wouldn¡¯t be a nail into his heart. Thinking so, his hand gripping Rashir became stronger. It wasn¡¯t that he hadn¡¯t tried. However, with no one stronger than him in the entire empire, it was impossible to become stronger through hard work alone. ¡°Leonhard!¡± ¡°¡­.?¡± Leonhard jumped up and put Rashir into the scabbard. Celine¡¯s voice was very bright. ¡®What?¡¯ As he hurriedly opened the door, Celine, whose face reddened, unfolded the crumpled piece of parchment. [ Prepare, then wait. ] ¡°¡­What is this?¡± ¡°This is the last time, this time¡­¡± Celine¡¯s voice trembled with excitement. ¡°You¡¯ve been through a lot, Leonhard. because of me¡­ but this is the last time.¡± ¡°¡­.¡± Something bubbled inside Leonhard. How could she be so sure, he didn¡¯t even have to ask. It was because it was a prophecy. ¡®Finally.¡¯ Sooner or later, Celine¡¯s curse will be lifted. It also meant that she didn¡¯t have to fidget and cling to her magic anymore. Most of all, his heart strangely burned at the thought he would never see Celine die or about to die for him¡­ ¡°Really¡­ What a relief.¡± It was a dry tone, but she felt his sincerity in it. ¡°It¡¯s all thanks to Leonhard.¡± ¡°No, you did it all.¡± ¡°No.¡± Celine shook her head. ¡°Leonhard didn¡¯t just help me.¡± Celine did not explain in detail. The things he had done for her were beyond words. If it hadn¡¯t been for him, she would still be wandering in that hell¡­ Having nightmares about the villain to come. Leonhard stared at Celine, who seemed somehow lost in her feelings. The words that it was the same for her, too, came up to his throat, but he swallowed them quietly. ¡°I have no idea what this means.¡± Celine smiled. ¡°Just take it as it is written here.¡± ¡°¡­.?¡± ¡°Haven¡¯t we been to other places? This¡­ will come to us.¡± ¡°¡­..!¡± His eyes twitched. Celine seemed oblivious to how frightening her own words sounded. ¡®¡­Why?¡¯ Leonhard¡¯s head spun. Celine was never dull. Although she was somewhat ignorant of common sense, it would be hard to expect more from someone who grew up confined to a house without proper education. Still, her prophecy had just hinted that some great catastrophe was about to happen to them. He was puzzled by Celine, who seemed not to have noticed it at all. ¡°¡­Did your dreams show you what comes after this? You said swamp before. I thought we had to go find it.¡± ¡°Ah.¡± Celine blinked her eyes. ¡®How should I explain it?¡¯ Excited, she ran to Leonhard though she had no idea how to explain it. She simply avoided explaining the situation where a big change had occurred in the game before the next stage by saying this was a dream. Originally, this quest only appeared after clearing the stage three times. It was a quest to announce the final stage. ¡®Maybe all the intermediate stages were skipped¡­¡¯ The swamp, she thought, was the next stage, and the second stage, the ghost forest, may not come out in the first place in the true ending route. ¡®Perhaps, it will come out.¡¯ Nonetheless, she couldn¡¯t say that the swamp wouldn¡¯t be there anymore. It was because the stages were merged in the true ending route, it could just be that the quest came out prematurely. However, she ran to Leonhard because she was too confident in herself to say that a lot had changed from her dreams. ¡°Ah¡­¡± ¡°Is it difficult to say?¡± As Celine met his eyes, it felt somewhat different from the usual strong Leonhard. ¡®¡­He¡¯s feeling anxious.¡¯ Celine gulped. Of course, from Leonhard¡¯s point of view, hadn¡¯t they been releasing the curse by relying on her prophecies so far? Obviously, if the prophet herself got lost, he would be anxious. Soon, she opened her mouth slowly. ¡°It is a little different from my dream. I saw this a little late in my dream¡­ I didn¡¯t expect this to come out so quickly.¡± ¡°¡­.?¡± Leonhard¡¯s expression seemed completely clueless. ¡°The swamp, no, it came out after the last time.¡± ¡°After that?¡± ¡°After that¡­¡± Celine¡¯s words stopped. ¡®After that, what was it?¡¯ Strangely, only vague memories remained about the final stage, but no clear situation came to her mind. ¡®What, what¡­¡¯ ¡°Celine?¡± Leonhard called out to her. ¡°I, I don¡¯t kn¡ª¡± Celine¡¯s words stopped. Her head was so dizzy that even the simple words of ¡°I don¡¯t know¡± didn¡¯t come out properly. Even though she tried hard not to fall down on the floor, she failed even at that. ¡°Celine!¡± Before she passed out, Leonhard¡¯s voice full of horror was the last thing she heard. Leonhard laid Celine on the bed in her own room and lingered for a while. As she slumped on the floor, her heart seemed to burst with fear and remorse. Even after he confirmed that Celine was not dead, fortunately, his thumping heart barely stopped. Seeing her breathing evenly, it seemed that she had just lost consciousness and collapsed. For a second, when he saw her lose consciousness, his heart burned although there was nothing he could do. Leonhard smiled bitterly when he realized that he was holding Rashir tightly. All this time, he thought, as long as he had Rashir, nothing was impossible for him. But, what a shallow idea it was¡­ He tightened his hands to the point where the knuckles that held Rashir turned white. After a while, Celine¡¯s eyelids fluttered and Leonhard jumped forward like a spring. ¡°Celine¡­!¡± ¡°Leonhard.¡± Celine lifted herself up helplessly. ¡°Lay down.¡± ¡°It¡¯s okay.¡± At his words, she shook her head and sat up straight. ¡°More than that¡­ Did you have a dream, perhaps?¡± ¡°No.¡± Celine bit her lip. Her memories of her final stage were still hazy, as though it was shrouded in a fog though her head no longer hurt. But why¡­? Celine had the feeling that she knew more about the final stage before she collapsed. And, she knew even better before¡­ Her frowned and tried to remember more about the final stage. ¡°Ugh!¡± Her head throbbed with severe nausea, and her vision blurred. Celine¡¯s body stumbled over, not fully aware of whether she was sitting or standing. ¡°Celine!¡± Leonhard hurriedly grabbed her halfway through her whitened face. ¡°I can¡¯t¡­ I can¡¯t, remember.¡± ¡°Celine.¡± Celine instinctively burrowed herself into Leonhardt¡¯s arms. Leonhard¡¯s body stiffened a little, but she didn¡¯t notice it. ¡°It will be fine. If it¡¯s over this time, the curse will be lifted. Don¡¯t worry.¡± His body stiffened as he held Celine in his arms. At the same time, his intuitions were shouting that this time, Celine was wrong. The enemy seeks them, not they should seek it. The phrase ¡®prepare.¡¯ And Celine, who always knew everything, even said that she didn¡¯t remember this time. Like¡­ a wizard who was starting to lose her reason. ¡®..It can¡¯t be.¡¯ Leonhard shook his head at the eerie thought that had passed by suddenly. Celine unleashed her recoil by sheer willpower. There was no way she could be so easily and suddenly infected with black magic. Besides she¡­ He tucked her sweaty hair. ¡°Still, we must prepare thoroughly. If we don¡¯t do what¡¯s written here, we might end up being helpless.¡± ¡°Of course.¡± Celine nodded her head. ¡°We need to ask Lute Carl for help.¡± ¡°Oh, Lute Carl will be busy.¡± Leonhard frowned. Lute Carl was the only wizard they could trust. However, he received news that Lute Carl was leaving the Empire for a mission not too long ago. ¡°¡­Is that so.¡± Celine¡¯s expression darkened in an instant. ¡°Regardless, there will be wizards who will help you¡­ There is no place that treats wizards as well as the imperial family.¡± ¡°Will they help me?¡± ¡°Say my name.¡± Leonhard shrugged his shoulders at the question. ¡°Then, at least one person will help you.¡± ¡°Leonhard!¡± ¡°Trust me. It¡¯s the surest way.¡± Celine burst into laughter. ¡°I see. I will say I need to improve my skills to help Leonhard, so who will refuse?¡± ¡°¡­To be honest, most of them would reject it.¡± He answered honestly. After all, it wasn¡¯t something to hide. ¡°Why?¡± Celine widened her eyes. She heard many times that Leonhardt was reluctant to wizards. It wasn¡¯t hard for her to guess why. It wsa because Leonhard had cut down many warlocks so far. There was no way he wanted to hang out with people who might one day become warlocks. But was there any reason why ordinary wizards didn¡¯t like him¡­? ¡°Did you have a fight?¡± ¡°¡­It¡¯s not like that.¡± Leonhard¡¯s face seemed to be regretting what he had just said. ¡°So, what is it?¡± ¡°¡­.¡± Silence passed. Celine waited slowly. If she needed any information, Leonhard would surely tell her. If not, she had no reason to listen, so she had no reason to rush him either. At that time, Leonhard¡¯s neck moved. ¡°It is better to hear it from me than to hear from others.¡± Her chest tightened slightly. Leonhard being sure that others would tell her meant that it was quite important¡­ Celine gazed straight into his blue eyes. ¡°If it¡¯s something I¡¯ll find out anyway, I¡¯d like to hear from Leonhard now.¡± He eventually nodded his head slowly, slightly avoiding Celine¡¯s gaze before glancing at the wall behind her. ¡°I don¡¯t know where to begin¡­ Really, it was in the past.¡± Chapter 70 From the beginning, Leonhard Bernoulli did not stand against the monsters single-handedly. To be more precise, no one in the Empire had any intention of letting him face the monsters alone. The naturally manifested magic swordsman was truly a miraculous being. Young Leonhard was raised in what amounted to child abuse training, but at the same time, he was closely guarded. He still remembered clearly the conversations of the adults he had secretly overheard at the time. ¡°Your Majesty, Lord Leonhard needs a wizard to assist him in his future missions.¡± ¡°Is that even possible? Wizards who come into contact with black magic quickly become corrupted or insane. I think a high-level knight is better.¡± ¡°It might be different if it¡¯s a newly manifested young wizard.¡± ¡°Hmm¡­¡± Leonhard, whose ultimate goal was to be a weapon to slay warlocks, needed a beginner wizard who hadn¡¯t properly learned about magic yet. Matthias Tezbit. It was the boy¡¯s name. ¡°It¡¯s-it¡¯s an honor to meet you. My name is Matthias Tezbit.¡± Matthias Tezbit, who was three years older than him, who was twelve at the time, trembled from the first meeting. For Leonhard, who had hardly met his peers, Matthias only seemed to be a pitiful human being, even though he was much older than he was. Matthias Tezbit had the greatest potential among the newly manifested wizards at the time, but he was so timid that he was afraid of even the power he possessed. It was something that Leonhard did not know at the time that such a personality was chosen because he had a high possibility of not being stained by black magic. ¡°Hiicckk¡­!¡± Leonhard glared at Matthias, who was running towards him, with a pitiful look in his eyes. It seemed that he got scared and couldn¡¯t defeat them. Behind him, there were only two monsters. They were even smaller than normal monsters, captured alive for their practice. ¡°Le-Le-Leonhard! He-he-help me.¡± ¡°No.¡± He hated that Matthias treated him so politely, as if he was God, even though he told him just to speak casually. Funnily enough, Matthias quickly got used to calling Leonhard by name though he still couldn¡¯t defeat a monster alone. Leonhard sat with his legs stretched out on his floor, glancing at Matthias. The monster slowly approached them. ¡°If you don¡¯t take care of this, you¡¯ll get hurt.¡± ¡°¡­.¡± Matthias¡¯ eyes twitched violently with fear. ¡°Le, Leonhard¡­¡± Leonhard sighed. There were times when he couldn¡¯t stand it and let the monster actually attack Matthias and hurt him. But even after that, Matthias was the same. It wasn¡¯t because Matthias lacked skill. It was because the various attack magics unfolded in the empty space would just even make an experienced imperial wizard speechless. He was just cowardly, to the extent that he couldn¡¯t even use the fire magic he used so well in front of monsters. ¡°What is the problem?¡± As he lightly cut down the monsters, he asked Matthias. ¡°¡­I don¡¯t know.¡± ¡°Are you scared? If you¡¯re scared, shouldn¡¯t you attack more?¡± ¡°It¡¯s just, I couldn¡¯t¡­ I¡¯m sorry.¡± Matthias dropped his face to the ground. ¡°¡­.¡± Leonhard put Rashir into the scabbard without a word. He wasn¡¯t in the mood to answer kindly. Still, his relationship with Matthias was not bad. Matthias was basically in awe of him, and Leonhard was also more comfortable being with him than the adults who always pressured him. However, the story was different when it came to missions. ¡°Did I hear it correctly? To take only Matthias and take care of the monster to a group of monsters whose boss has already transformed¡­?¡± Leonhard couldn¡¯t believe it and spat out words at the commander in a row. Until now, he had been defeating monsters with seasoned knights. Of course, they were far behind in killing power though they still did their part. ¡°Isn¡¯t Tezbit the most outstanding of the young wizards? Even you can¡¯t deny his skills.¡± ¡°No. Even if he has skills, he can¡¯t kill a single monster!¡± Leonhard exclaimed in frustration. It didn¡¯t matter if Matthias was so weak that he couldn¡¯t kill even one young ant. Still, he couldn¡¯t kill monsters and had to defeat a group of monsters alone like this? It was nonsense. ¡°I¡¯d rather go alone. I can¡¯t take a lump of weight with me.¡± ¡°No.¡± Leonhard clenched his teeth. The other person was the knight commander of the Empire. He had not been awarded a title yet, so the commander was not something he could stand against. Besides, the Emperor stood behind his back. ¡°¡­All right.¡± Surely, Matthias did not welcome the news. Leonhard sighed heavily. In any case, he had to go on a mission with this lump of weight. ¡°¡­Don¡¯t look like you¡¯re going to die like that. I feel like I¡¯m going to die just thinking about taking on a boss monster with a weight like you.¡± ¡°How can I be of some help¡­¡± ¡°What kind of help would you give if you couldn¡¯t kill a single small monster?¡± As he glared at Matthias, Leonhard felt uncomfortable even at him being a hand taller than him. ¡°¡­I will try.¡± ¡°You really should this time.¡± Even though he wanted to tell him to climb up a tree and stay there trembling, there was the boss monster. Even Matthias, who couldn¡¯t resist, would be lightly torn to shreds. Like the corpses he had seen so far. On the day of the mission. Leonhard took a deep breath. He was about to die from annoyance because of Matthias, who was barely following behind him by dragging his shaky legs. ¡°Matthias.¡± ¡°Uh, uh¡­¡± ¡°If you can¡¯t stand it, run away. Understand?¡± ¡°¡­.¡± Silence came again. Matthias seemed to be torn between his petty attitude of not being able to disobey orders and his survival instincts. Seeing him like that, Leonhard turned his head to the front again. Anyway, when he saw the boss monster, his survival instinct would trump everything else. Even the seasoned knights who had gone through all the battles were like that. After a while, a familiar stench hit him. At the same time, the blood drained from Matthias¡¯ face, and his entire body began to tremble. ¡°Now, run away.¡± ¡°No.¡± Matthias shook his head. ¡®I knew it would be like this.¡¯ Inside, Leonhard spat out the most vulgar curse he knew. Matthias would not back down until the boss monster appeared. In other words, Leonhard has to take this lump of weight and defeat the monsters rushing in droves until then. * * * Even though Celine knew without him having to say it, she couldn¡¯t stop the words that were flowing out. ¡°It reminds me of myself when I first met Leonhardt.¡± ¡°¡­.¡± ¡°At that time, I was also a lump of weight.¡± ¡°The situation is very different.¡± Leonhard replied softly. ¡°Matthias and me?¡± ¡°No.¡± He rolled his stiff tongue. ¡°I was different.¡± * * * Later, Leonhard could see that the irritation and embarrassment he felt at the time stemmed from his incompetence. However, he was only twelve at the time, too young to realize that. ¡°What are you doing? Run away!¡± Leonhard screamed and cut the monsters in all directions. It was not an easy task to cut down as many monsters as possible while being careful not to let Matthias get harmed, who was standing next to him. Even the sweat dripping non-stop from his forehead was annoying. ¡°Get away!¡± However, Matthias did not leave his side despite the continued verbal abuse. He still couldn¡¯t produce a single spark from his hands, but he also couldn¡¯t force his legs, which seemed to be anchored to the ground, to pull out. Leonhard spat out a few more vulgar words inside. Even if the boss monster appeared, if Matthias didn¡¯t leave, he thought he wouldn¡¯t stop just muttering to himself inside. Right then. A huge shape appeared. ¡°¡­.¡± Matthias¡¯ body jumped like a block of wood that had been pressed against a spring. ¡®As expected¡­¡¯ Leonhard held his breath and silently observed the boss monster. As soon as Matthias ran away, he intended to attack the head monster. Fortunately, Matthias fled as soon as the boss monster wriggled towards them. Leonhard let out a sigh of relief. Even if Matthias stayed by his side stubbornly until the end, he would faint and the boss monster would mistake him for a corpse. As he tightened his grip on Rashir, he leaped and struck Rashir at the boss monster. ¡®¡­.!¡¯ In an instant, Leonhard sensed that something was wrong with him. He had an ominous feeling that he couldn¡¯t pinpoint. Even though, as usual, Rashir cut through the flesh of the boss monster and aimed at the core, something was disturbing. His heart started pounding. The other time he had a similar gut feeling, both his legs were broken. Before that, he almost lost one of his arms completely. ¡°Kuweek!¡± The half-cracked boss monster began to collapse under Rashir with a strange sound. ¡®Yes, it¡¯s just a coincidence.¡¯ Leonhard energized Rashir to find the core. ¡°AAARRRGGHH!¡± Shrill screams echoed across the plains. Leonhardt realized after a while that it was his own scream. It hurt so much. During that time, he was seriously injured by the monster. It was nothing like raw flesh torn and limbs broken, but it was the first time he had suffered so much that he lost all reason and only had the instinct to escape this pain. Leonhard screamed and screamed, even Rashir went out of his grasp. When he lost consciousness in front of the monster for the first time in his life, the feeling Leonhard felt was a relief. It took a week for him to wake up. It took him half a year before he could use his whole body properly. Even so, the doctors said it was a miracle. Leonhard had to slay the monsters for another half a year as well. Naturally, with the knights. And with Matthias. * * * ¡°¡­So, Matthias must have felt like a nuisance all along. To Leonhardt.¡± Leonhard shook his head. ¡°After that, Matthias started killing monsters from his first mission. Very skillfully.¡± ¡°Ah.¡± His expression as he looked at Celine, who was visibly relieved, was complicated. * * * When Leonhard opened his eyes, what he saw in front of him was Matthias, with his red face distorted. ¡°I¡¯m sorry, I¡¯m sorry¡­¡± ¡°¡­.¡± Leonhardt turned his back to lie down, not wanting to accept the apology or scold him. Matthias cleared his throat as if he was about to say something though eventually left without saying anything. That night, Leonhard was informed that Matthias had killed his first monster by burning it. Chapter 71 ¡ªBoom! ¡ªBoom! ¡ªBoom! Three years had passed. Leonhard was now fifteen, while Matthias was eighteen. Matthias¡¯s actual fighting skills improved in every mission. Now, even without Leonhard, he was able to defeat a tolerable group of monsters by himself. On the day he single-handedly blew up the head monster after concentrating his mind for about an hour, Leonhard quietly admired it. ¡°That¡¯s great.¡± ¡°That¡¯s a compliment without a heart.¡± ¡°Is it too obvious?¡± ¡°¡­Do you still ask even when you know?¡± Leonhard responded with a grin to his question. He could match Matthias¡¯ rhythm now, but his admiration was sincere. As the years passed, he learned that the other mages did not have a very different temperament from Matthias. No, it wasn¡¯t necessarily limited to wizards. Everyone was like that. Everyone but Leonhard himself was afraid of monsters and wanted to back out if they could. Even those who fought against monsters without running away fought with that fear. Although because he didn¡¯t feel any fear from his first monster and cut it in half, it took quite a while to realize that simple fact¡­ Matthias was not a coward, but actually a very ordinary person. Nevertheless, he fought against the monsters together with him. Leonhardt was not so stupid as to not know how lucky he was. ¡°¡­.?¡± ¡°Greetings, Grand Prince and Lute.¡± The moment Leonhard was about to drink the cold water, a messenger from the Imperial Family appeared. ¡°What is going on?¡± There was a sharp edge in his voice. Another mission right after a mission¡­ He sometimes seemed to think that the imperial family thought he was a horse that would never get tired. ¡°The commander-in-chief will speak directly to you.¡± ¡°¡­It¡¯s a mission?¡± ¡°I don¡¯t know.¡± The messenger respectfully bowed his head, but as he moved to the Capital, Leonhard¡¯s anger rose to the top of his head. It was because he hadn¡¯t seen his family¡¯s face in over a year already. Natasha, who had been waiting for his return, no longer sent a letter. ¡®She must have been disappointed.¡¯ He thought that after this mission, he could get a short vacation, but another mission came. ¡°You seem very angry.¡± ¡°¡­.¡± Matthias stabbed him in the side. It was a sign for him to keep his expression. ¡°No.¡± Silence passed. The commander-in-chief stared at him for a long time. ¡®What is this all of a sudden?¡¯ Leonhard frowned openly. It was going to be a hauntingly difficult task anyway. It would have been better to tell him quickly, as nothing would change if he waited. ¡°This is the last time.¡± ¡°The mission¡­ you mean?¡± Leonhard questioned, doubting his own ears. ¡°Yes.¡± The commander-in-chief¡¯s heavy voice echoed throughout the commander¡¯s room. ¡°Once this mission is successfully completed, you will no longer take orders from me.¡± ¡°What?¡± ¡°Once that happens, Leonhard, only His Highness the Crown Prince and His Majesty the Emperor will be above you.¡± ¡°¡­.!¡± His eyes widened. Wasn¡¯t this the position he so longed for? ¡°And the entire Imperial Knights will follow your orders. Congratulations in advance, Leonhard.¡± ¡°Are, are you sure¡ª¡± ¡°Yes. An official notice will go down soon.¡± His mind went blank. If it weren¡¯t for the fact that Matthias hadn¡¯t stepped out and asked for a detailed explanation, Leonhard would have shown ignorance. ¡°Then, tell me the mission.¡± ¡°Ah.¡± The commander-in-chief glanced over at Matthias, blinking as if he had finally noticed Matthias¡¯ presence. ¡°It¡¯s a warlock.¡± ¡°¡­.!¡± While Matthias¡¯s eyes widened in horror, Leonhard¡¯s eyes sparkled with excitement. ¡°Finally¡­¡± ¡°Yes.¡± The corners of his lips went up. There was no one who did not know what magic swordsman meant. The only one who could drive the warlock out of this Empire. The arduous training he had undergone so far was not simply to develop the power to slaughter monsters, it was to defeat the warlocks who drove the entire Empire into pain and ruin. ¡°¡­Where is it?¡± ¡°The North.¡± ¡°¡­.!¡± ¡°After this mission, you may rest for as long as you like.¡± Leonhard grinned over the snow-covered plain. He had been out of the North longer than he had been in the North, but still, his home was his home. Glancing to the side, Matthias was visibly stiff. ¡°Aren¡¯t you too nervous?¡± ¡°How can I not be nervous¡­¡± He heard Matthias¡¯s sigh. ¡°Don¡¯t worry too much, because I am a magic swordsman.¡± ¡°I have to do my part, too.¡± ¡°You¡¯re doing well enough now.¡± ¡°¡­I¡¯d rather you not mention it.¡± Matthias squeezed the pouch containing the magic stone. Leonhard thought his hands were shaking excessively, but he didn¡¯t point it out. After all, he was Matthias, who was unable to kill a single monster before, so of course, killing a once-human warlock would be even more nerve-wracking. Meanwhile, he continued to drive his horse in silence as they had to travel quite a distance to get to the warlock¡¯s stronghold. It didn¡¯t take long for him to find the warlock¡¯s stronghold. It was because a frighteningly evil energy was flowing from a certain place, quite different from a group of monsters. ¡°For a moment¡­¡± Leonhard stopped. ¡°What¡¯s the matter? Is it a monster?¡± Matthias asked with a frown. ¡°No. Just¡­ something is wrong.¡± He hesitated and answered. Apart from the evil energy, he felt strange. It was the feeling he always had right before he or Matthias got hurt¡­ ¡°Something¡­ I have a bad feeling.¡± Matthias¡¯ reaction exceeded all of Leonhard¡¯s expectations. As if it was funny, he burst into laughter. ¡°I didn¡¯t expect Leonhard to be nervous.¡± ¡°Not nervous, just¡­ ominous. Something is wrong.¡± ¡°Leonhard, there is no one stronger than you. I¡¯m past the stage of grabbing your ankles now. Have confidence.¡± ¡°¡­Is that so.¡± He sighed before replying. Perhaps, Matthias was right. Hasn¡¯t he been training just for this moment? Now, among the wizards belonging to the Imperial Family, there was not a single wizard who could subdue him. It didn¡¯t make sense that he couldn¡¯t defeat a rookie warlock who had recently appeared. Matthias continued brightly. ¡°And this mission, I have a good feeling.¡± Leonhard smiled. ¡°I¡¯d like to bet who had a better intuition. I¡¯ll bet your hunch is right.¡± ¡°Huh? Me, too.¡± Their nonsensical jokes continued even as they approached the source of the evil energy before Matthias spoke in a slightly surprised tone. ¡°But, isn¡¯t this power quite strong? Something¡­ I don¡¯t think it¡¯s just black magic.¡± Leonhard grimaced. ¡°Don¡¯t joke. I can only feel the disgusting energy that makes me feel sick.¡± ¡°What? As a wizard, I can even feel¡­ awe.¡± At those words, Leonhard interrupted him with a hard voice. ¡°¡­Matthias.¡± ¡°Yes, yes. It¡¯s just something I¡¯m saying.¡± Finally, the appearance of the warlock came into their eyes. At the same time, the two froze on the spot. Now that he thought about it, it was nothing more than a weak warlock. However, to the two, seeing the warlock at the source for the first time in their lives, it felt like the source of evil. Leonhard pulled out Rashir. A blue flame rode the blade and burned brightly. Meanwhile, Matthias nodded very weakly. It was a sign that he was staying away. Leonhard immediately ran towards the warlock. Leonhard couldn¡¯t quite remember how he had slashed the warlock. He blocked the constant stream of attacks with Rashir, and only vaguely remembered in his memory as he aimed for the neck. At one point, Rashir split the warlock and black blood gushed out. He barely caught Rashir as he was about to fall to the ground and put it in the scabbard. ¡°You¡¯re not, huuuhhk, as big deal, huukk, as I thought.¡± He turned to face Matthias, who stood nailed to his spot, gasping for breath. ¡°Matthias?¡± Confused, he called for him. Obviously, Matthias, who always looked out for their safety, was now staring at the remnants of the dead warlock. Matthias¡¯s mouth opened slowly. ¡°¡­Strong.¡± His blood was cold. Only then did Leonhard realize that he had never received Matthias¡¯ support when fighting the warlock. Just like Matthias, who was frozen and unable to do anything when he met monsters in the past¡­ however, the current Matthias was far from his former self, who couldn¡¯t kill. Then, there was only one reason why he didn¡¯t attack the warlock. It was because he didn¡¯t want to attack. ¡°Matthias!¡± He ran towards Matthias. At that moment, a considerable force sent Leonhard flying into the air. It was obviously black magic. * * * ¡°After that, I stayed away from all wizards¡­ no, I insulted them. All of them are useless and dangerous people, so don¡¯t come near me.¡± ¡°Why would you do that¡­¡± ¡°Because His Highness Ricardo always wanted me to be with a wizard.¡± Leonhard replied bitterly. ¡°So, when I humiliate them that much, is there a magician who would come close? Occasionally, I scared away one or two who approached.¡± Leonhard did not say how he killed Matthias. He didn¡¯t even say how he got back to Bernoulli Castle, covered in blood, still with Matthias¡¯ red aura. Those memories were still buried in the back of the chest of an eighteen-year-old boy, and it would feel like digging a grave if he was to speak it out of his mouth. ¡°So that¡¯s why in Agathirsus, I told you never to use magic¡­¡± ¡°¡­Because Matthias passed over so quickly.¡± Even though his tone was light, Leonhard could not hide his sorrow. ¡°Warlocks attract like a magnet. No wizard can deny that power.¡± ¡°¡­.¡± ¡°Anyway, just as I don¡¯t like wizards, wizards hate me too.¡± ¡°Lute Carl is different.¡± Leonhard snorted. ¡°He is father¡¯s man. He¡¯ll be mine someday, so he can¡¯t say anything bad about me. However, wizards belonging to the imperial family are different.¡± ¡°¡­Still, I¡¯ll try.¡± ¡°Yes.¡± Leonhard nodded his head at her words. It¡¯d been almost nine years since he insulted and distanced himself from wizards. Perhaps, there are wizards who don¡¯t care about old feelings¡­ All of a sudden, a dove came in through a window he didn¡¯t even know was open. As the two stared blankly at the white dove, the dove sat on Celine¡¯s hand and, in an instant, turned into a piece of white paper. ¡°I heard that even monsters appear when you talk to them.¡± Leonhard was a little stumped. ¡°What is this?¡± ¡°An invitation.¡± He then took the paper from Celine¡¯s hand, who was still bewildered. ¡°¡­.?¡± Immediately, he tore up the paper. Before Celine¡¯s bewildered eyes, golden letters appeared. [ If you don¡¯t mind, I¡¯d like to meet you in Flua. Rose. ] Chapter 72 ¡°A wizard. Shouldn¡¯t they at least introduce themself?¡± Leonhard grumbled calmly, but Celine just stared blankly at the golden writing. Her head was full and dizzy just from the story she had just heard, then came such an unknown invitation. ¡°Where, where is Flua?¡± ¡°I do not know.¡± ¡°¡­.?¡± The invitation without properly revealing who the sender was, the meeting place where that was unknown to Leonhard¡­ As she thought, Celine moved inadvertently, frightened by the writing that was following her. ¡°How do I get rid of this?¡± ¡°If you write a reply, it will disappear. I have also used it before.¡± ¡°How¡­?¡± ¡°Just write.¡± She slowly wrote in the air as Leonhard instructed. [ Who are you? ] As soon as she wrote a reply, the golden letters melted away and disappeared. Celine couldn¡¯t breathe and waited for a reply, but nothing came. Leonhard waved his hand where the golden letters had been. ¡°Never mind. Maybe they were trying to bother you.¡± ¡°Bother me¡­?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± Celine swallowed a gulp. ¡°Why would they try to bother me? Not Leonhard¡­¡± He answered honestly. ¡°You are the only wizard on a mission with me. They must be trying to bother me through you. I don¡¯t know the exact reason.¡± ¡°¡­.¡± ¡°Anyway, one thing is certain¡­ Sooner or later, you will meet them.¡± Celine thought that what he assumed was unknown, but Leonhard¡¯s guess was correct this time as well. The very next morning, a wizard came to visit. * * * ¡°Nice to meet you. I¡¯m Rose Park.¡± ¡°Really¡­ Your name was Rose.¡± ¡°Of course.¡± The young wizard, who looked about the same age as Leonhard, smiled slightly. ¡°Just call me Rose. Don¡¯t need Lute or anything.¡± Not knowing what to say, she just stared at Rose quietly. Rose woke them up with a sudden slam on the guest room door. She still hadn¡¯t said why she had come looking for Celine, or why she had sent the invitation in the first place. ¡°Why is this person here, and why did she come looking for me? Your expression seems to be saying that.¡± ¡°¡­Yes.¡± Rose glanced at Leonhard, who was standing with his back leaning against a wall, seemingly quite far away from them. ¡°I wish I could talk about it in a place where the Lord isn¡¯t around, is it okay?¡± ¡°Flua?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± As Rose nodded her head, Celine hesitated for a moment. It would be foolish to follow someone she hadn¡¯t known in less than an hour. ¡°How can I¡­ trust you?¡± ¡°Oh, I didn¡¯t know I¡¯d look so suspicious.¡± ¡°I didn¡¯t mean that.¡± Celine¡¯s words quickened. ¡°It¡¯s just that I don¡¯t know why you¡¯re doing this to me¡­¡± ¡°You can trust her, at least she won¡¯t harm you.¡± At that time, Leonhard, who hadn¡¯t said a single word until now, opened his mouth. ¡°Leonhard?¡± ¡°I remember hearing the last name. In the past¡­there was a lot of pressure to do the mission together.¡± ¡°¡­.!¡± Celine¡¯s eyes widened. If so, Rose must be one of the wizards who were severely insulted by him. ¡°It¡¯s an honor that you remember.¡± One corner of Rose¡¯s mouth slanted upward as she went on. ¡°The last time I saw you, I think you asked me how I became a magician belonging to the imperial family with such skills.¡± ¡°¡­.¡± Leonhard said nothing. Celine¡¯s blue-gray eyes shook in confusion. Rose was hostile to Leonhard, and she had good reasons. Besides, she didn¡¯t even bother to hide that fact. However, what confused her most of all was that he said she could trust Rose nonetheless. ¡°Anyway, don¡¯t worry, I didn¡¯t approach you to avenge an old grudge. I just have a suggestion to make. How about it? Would you like to go to Flua?¡± Rose took the magic stone from her pocket. It must mean that they would move by magic. Celine paused her breath. Whatever Leonhard thought, this might be a trap. It could end¡­ when she followed Rose, there would be a warlock waiting. ¡°If you don¡¯t believe me, I¡¯ll give this to you.¡± Rose gave her the magic stone. She could feel the power of movement magic. Movement magic was a type of magic that went and came as a pair and was imprinted on the magic stone. With this magic stone, she would be able to return to the hotel at any time. When she glanced at Leonhard, he was still staring at her, motionless. ¡®¡­He¡¯s going to leave it to me.¡¯ Celine eventually nodded her head slightly. The next moment, Rose slowly laid her own hand over hers, and her magic began to erupt. After a while, Celine¡¯s eyelids trembled as she felt the flow of magic gently embrace her and transport her to a new place. Unlike when she used the movement magic herself, it was a safe and pleasant movement. ¡°Can you open your eyes?¡± Hearing Rose¡¯s worried voice, she blinked her eyes. When she opened her eyes, a completely unexpected sight came into her eyes. Various flowers were blooming splendidly on the wide plain. In addition, sunlight poured blindingly over their heads. ¡®It¡¯s not an ordinary plain.¡¯ Celine soon realized that it was no ordinary plain. The pouring sunlight, the warm air that was not like winter, and the flowers that were in full bloom that did not match the season¡­ Her eyes widened. It was difficult to notice it because she was so large though she was blocked on all sides by a transparent glass. However, the place they moved to was inside a huge glass greenhouse. ¡°Flua¡­ must have been a greenhouse.¡± ¡°Ah, this is the entrance.¡± Rose started to take her steps somewhere, but Celine stopped. ¡°This is a place without Leonhard. As promised, tell me now¡­ what are you proposing?¡± Rose¡¯s eyes sparkled strangely. ¡°I can¡¯t talk about it here. Magic stone, do you still have it? As long as you have that, you can go back anytime, so be patient.¡± ¡°No, but¡­¡± ¡°You will know when you go.¡± Celine frowned but didn¡¯t complain at her words any longer. She slowly followed Rose, observing her surroundings. Even though she wanted to find a clue to exactly where this place was, all she could see inside the glasshouse were flowers. After a long walk through the flower fields, Rose stopped in front of a small brick house. It was a very ordinary-looking house for a house in such a splendid greenhouse. ¡°Is this Rose house?¡± ¡°No way.¡± Rose stopped at the door and knocked on the wooden door three times. The door opened by itself. ¡°Come in.¡± As soon as Celine entered, she panicked. She thought it was a small house, barely the size of a studio, but it was a gigantic castle no less than a glass greenhouse. Celine stared blankly at the antique staircase leading up to a place she did not know where. This place was never behind even compared to Bernoulli Castle. No, it had splendor added. Beautiful sculptures that could not be created without magic were shining all over the place. Rose smiled softly at Celine, who was half stunned. ¡°Welcome to Flua. Everyone is surprised when they first come.¡± ¡°Where is¡­ here?¡± She was now convinced that Rose would not delay an answer to her question. ¡°This is the palace bestowed to the imperial wizards, Lute Celine.¡± Celine wasn¡¯t surprised. After all, since Rose was a wizard belonging to the Imperial Family, she naturally guessed that this place was also related to her. ¡°Why did we come here?¡± ¡°I thought that Lute Celine would want to meet us.¡± ¡°¡­.¡± Celine said nothing, but she couldn¡¯t hide her surprise. ¡°I think that¡¯s a yes.¡± A small laugh escaped Rose¡¯s mouth. ¡°Let¡¯s go, everyone is waiting for Lute Celine.¡± ¡°Everyone¡­ How many?¡± ¡°Um, mostly everyone?¡± ¡°¡­Mostly?¡± Celine¡¯s voice trembled as she thought there would be three or four at most. ¡°Why, so many people¡­¡± ¡°Because Lute Celine is worth it.¡± Rose half pushed Celine on her back. ¡°Now, come all the way here and don¡¯t freeze. Let¡¯s go.¡± As she walked, Celine prepared and cleared her mind. It was because everything that had happened from the time the invitation arrived was a series of shocks, and her head froze. According to the story Leonhard told her, the Imperial Family kept wanting to attach a wizard to him. However, after the death of his close friend, Leonhardt rejected any wizard¡­ until she appeared. ¡®Is it just¡­ curiosity?¡¯ She bit her lip. If they were simply curious, they could approach her in a better way than this. She wouldn¡¯t have to bring her here by daring to get on Leonhard¡¯s nerves and go right under his nose. Eventually, Celine gave up on thinking. She¡¯d soon find out what their purpose was anyway and what they were proposing anyway. Rose was not exaggerating when she said that most of the wizards belonging to the Imperial Family were gathered. The huge hall that Celine entered, along with Rose, was packed with what looked to be a hundred people. The many eyes stared at her¡­ Celine gulped. ¡°Now Rose, can you tell me what the offer was?¡± Rose blinked her eyes, a little embarrassed. ¡°¡­That¡¯s a bit hasty. Though okay, it¡¯s urgent.¡± She looked straight at Celine before opening her mouth again. ¡°Lute Celine, all of us here would like to thank you for helping Lord Leonhard.¡± ¡°That, that¡­¡± ¡°And, from now on, I will do my best to cooperate with you. That¡¯s all.¡± ¡°¡­.!¡± Celine¡¯s mouth gaped blankly. Rose¡¯s words were clunky and somewhat disorganized, but she wouldn¡¯t distort any important meaning. They were thanking her for being by Leonhard¡¯s side and declared that they would cooperate in the future. Rose wouldn¡¯t let Celine be absentminded. ¡°If you¡¯re going to refuse, go back right away. Showing this place itself is a gamble for us.¡± ¡°¡­What is the price? What do I have to do?¡± Rose snorted. ¡°The price? Aren¡¯t you paying enough already?¡± ¡°What?¡± A word full of bewilderment escaped Celine¡¯s mouth. She couldn¡¯t get an idea of it at all. In the first place, she had done nothing for them. ¡°You are fighting against black magic beside Lord Leonhard. What is the price other than that?¡± ¡°¡­Just for that reason, you will help me? With all these people?¡± At that moment, a murmur suddenly erupted in all directions where there had been silent until now. Amidst the crowd, an elderly-looking old man walked out slowly. ¡°I¡¯ll answer that.¡± Chapter 73 Chapter 73 Celine stared at the old man. The old man¡¯s short gray hair flashed through the white robe. The black eyes set in the bloodless face looked even foreign. At the same time, the distorted scar covering one cheek revealed the fact that his past was not a scholar, but a warrior. ¡­Just like all the wizards in the past before Leonhard. His mouth moved slowly. ¡°You are vigilant.¡± ¡°¡­.¡± Naturally, she was vigilant of this old man¡­ no, she was vigilant of this entire space. All of these people must be wizards belonging to the Imperial Family. Leonhard seemed to think that fact alone was enough to trust people, but Celine was different. In fact, didn¡¯t he say that the wizards belonging to the Imperial Family would approach her to try her? ¡®No matter what their purpose is, they won¡¯t do me a pure favor.¡¯ The corner of the old man¡¯s lips went up. ¡°Celine Hunt¡­ a woman taken to the North by Lord Leonhard to break his curse. Then, you manifested as a wizard and naturally performed missions together with him.¡± ¡°¡­.!¡± Celine¡¯s body stiffened. Rose, as well as all the wizards present here, were not at all surprised, as if it was something they knew from the beginning. ¡°¡­How did you know?¡± ¡°You don¡¯t have to stare like that. It¡¯s not even a big secret, is it?¡± She couldn¡¯t resist. Until Agathirsus, Celine had guessed that speculation about her relationship with Leonhard had been floating around. It would have been easy to know the reason why he had brought her if people were to dig up information from the North with doubts. ¡®¡­This old man said it was Leonhard¡¯s curse.¡¯ She felt a little relieved. They didn¡¯t seem to know that she was the one who was cursed. ¡°Of course, you must not know much about Lord Leonhard, so you don¡¯t even know why we¡¯re doing this.¡± Celine didn¡¯t say anything. This old man had something to say to her, and however she tried to retort, it couldn¡¯t be more than a hindrance. ¡°Before Lord Leonhard appeared¡­ Do you know who fought against the warlocks?¡± ¡°It must be wizards.¡± The old man nodded his head. ¡°Still, most of those who fought against warlocks either died or lived worse lives. Obviously, there are people like me who are lucky enough to survive.¡± As he spread out his wrinkled hands, her breath choked. It was because there were ugly scars tangled with wrinkles all over his hands. ¡°With this, my magic has become almost unusable. I retained my position with the credit for defeating the warlock, but I am only a wizard in name.¡± She could keenly sense exactly what the old man meant. ¡­Even though he killed a warlock and even survived, he could not escape from the recoil of the dead warlock. The old man smiled bitterly. ¡°It¡¯s been a long time. After Lord Leonhard appeared¡­ all of us could escape that fate.¡± ¡°¡­If Leonhard dies, you once again¡ª¡± ¡°Yes, we will have to fight the warlock like before. Was this a good enough answer?¡± Celine bit her lip. His words were reasonable. If they had only offered to help her because Leonhard was fighting for the empire, she would have thought about it for a long time. However, he said they would help him so that they would not have to fight the warlock themselves. ¡®I can believe this.¡¯ Having made up her decision, Celine opened her mouth. ¡°¡­I understand.¡± ¡°That¡¯s a relief.¡± Saying so, the old man disappeared into the crowd without saying a word, as if he had finished what he had to say. Rose came abruptly. ¡°Now, you seem to believe it a little bit. I was really at a loss.¡± ¡°I couldn¡¯t believe it.¡± She smiled and began to introduce the people around for a while, half pushing Celine¡¯s back. An hour later. Celine couldn¡¯t quite remember the imperial wizards she had been introduced to, but she was sure that at least she had memorized their faces. ¡°Who is that person again?¡± ¡°Ah, you mean Lute Garcia. He was the one who insisted on helping you with me.¡± ¡°¡­There must have been quite a bit of opposition.¡± ¡°Of course.¡± Rose answered briefly. ¡°So, get as much help as possible because that¡¯s what makes it worthwhile.¡± Celine nodded her head. Even if she didn¡¯t, she had to be stronger. The final stage of the true ending route would be much more difficult than the final stage of the regular route. Didn¡¯t she also feel the difference in skill during Rose¡¯s movement magic that she felt while moving here? This was a great opportunity, and she wasn¡¯t the type to miss her chance. Celine gazed straight at Rose. ¡°I want to develop my full skills.¡± ¡°Did you learn from Lute Carl?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± ¡°Lute Carl is a good wizard, but¡­ you must have had a hard time learning systematically.¡± At those words, she nodded her head. Rose got it right. Lute Carl abruptly left for a mission, even while teaching her with all his heart and sincerity. Besides, after she had grown to a certain extent, both of them were too busy to continue her education any further. Soon, she led Celine out of the hall. ¡°Where are we going?¡± ¡°To the training ground.¡± Instead of moving to another part of the building, Rose went outside again, and Celine couldn¡¯t hide her surprise. ¡®The flower garden¡­ It was a training ground.¡¯ It was only then that she sensed the powerful magic power of the flower garden, and Rose stopped after walking a long way out of the castle. As she glanced all around, she still saw nothing but flowers. ¡°Rose was meant to be my teacher from the beginning.¡± ¡°Of course.¡± A smile appeared on Rose¡¯s face. Her heart started pounding. She was completely different now than when she was learning, starting from the beginning from Lute Emile or Lute Carl. Celine now knew her own strengths and weaknesses, and she was ready to become even stronger. ¡°First of all, I need to know Celine¡¯s skills¡­ Would you like to try some magic? The one you are most confident in.¡± Celine closed her eyes for a moment and took a deep breath. In fact, the most powerful of all the magic she could use was fire-attribute attack magic. Nonetheless, her favorite, which she studied so zealously, was the magic of creating various structures out of ice. The magic wriggled around her. It wasn¡¯t her original magic nor Lou¡¯s magic, who was still quietly groaning around her wrist. It was magic that felt a little strange. ¡®¡­It¡¯s a flower.¡¯ She knew right away. In each flower, she could feel magic as pure and refined as the magic stone. No, it was similar to the magic stone though with a cleaner and brighter feel. Celine smiled softly. It was a blessing as a wizard to have the opportunity to use this much magical power at once. As she opened her eyes, a block of ice, the size of a castle, was floating in the flower garden. ¡°Not bad.¡± Rose nodded her head, her face a little impressed. ¡°To create this much ice and float it in the air¡­ It takes a lot of magic.¡± Meanwhile, Celine focused her mind without answering. This was just the beginning. ¡°¡­.?¡± Rose, who felt the swirling magic even though the ice hadn¡¯t cracked, made a surprised look. Ten minutes had passed, but the situation hadn¡¯t changed at all, as the magic was still only swirling. Now staring blankly at the sky with a flustered look, she opened her mouth cautiously. ¡°If something is wrong, tell me. I will help you.¡± Right then, the ice began to break on its own with a crackling sound. Rose¡¯s eyes widened. The ice did not break, only turned into simple pieces. When the surface of the ice, which she thought was simply a huge rock shape, shattered, an elaborate castle was revealed. A castle made of ice. ¡®Rather than a castle¡­¡¯ She realized. Rather than a castle, this structure, which looked like a tangled arrangement of huge towers, was Bernoulli Castle. ¡°¡­It¡¯s Bernoulli Castle.¡± ¡°It¡¯s a bit smaller than it actually is.¡± Celine¡¯s face flushed red, and her voice was full of excitement. She looked more like a girl who was so happy that she didn¡¯t know what to do rather than a wizard who was having a hard time pouring out huge magical powers. ¡°How long can you keep it?¡± Celine blinked her eyes quickly, a little embarrassed. ¡°Uh¡­ all day if we¡¯re here.¡± ¡°Why ¡®if we¡¯re here¡¯?¡± ¡°These flowers act as magic stones, right?¡± Rose barely managed to straighten her face, which was distorted in surprise. There were many magicians who detected magic in the flowers that protected Flua. However, flowers, unlike magic stones, were living creatures so it took a lot of training to use them like magic stones. Or perhaps, she had a natural talent for sensing and extracting magical powers. Celine built a small pier between them and the castle. ¡°I paid considerable attention to it. Would you like to go?¡± Rose nodded her head. The most important thing for her right now was to grasp Celine¡¯s skills accurately. ¡°Awesome.¡± She then inspected the recognizable ornaments, furniture, carpets, and structures that were all made of ice. ¡°Right?¡± Celine¡¯s voice was not all that bright. ¡°I tried to make it as similar as possible. Of course, there may be things I remember incorrectly.¡± Saying that, she let out a small sigh, careful not to let Rose notice. Even though the time she stayed in the North wasn¡¯t very long, and it had been long since she had left the North¡­ why did the North feel like home to her? The corner of her eyes reddened slightly as Celine gazed at the familiar structure she had created. ¡°It¡¯s rare for a wizard to create a structure like this. Do you know how to use the earth attribute?¡± ¡°No. Earth attributes are still¡­¡± ¡°That¡¯s unfortunate. Usually, this ability shines in the earth¡¯s attributes. If you have enough time, it would be nice to learn about the earth¡¯s attributes though¡­ it seems a little late.¡± Lute Carl used most of the attributes freely, but he was reluctant to use the earth attribute. ¡°I can¡¯t help it, because ice alone makes tolerable structures.¡± ¡°That¡¯s true. Above all else, what Celine will mainly use is offensive magic.¡± Rose glanced up at the ceiling. The sunlight reflected off the elaborate ice chandeliers and glistened. ¡°Celine, would you like to blow up the whole ceiling? With attack magic.¡± ¡°Alright.¡± Celine answered without hesitation. ¡ªBANG! The next moment, the entire ceiling was engulfed in blue flames in an instant and disappeared without a trace. ¡°I evaporated it because it was ice. Is it okay?¡± Meanwhile, she stared at Celine¡¯s face, momentarily lost for words. ¡®¡­How could Lord Leonhard come to be with such a monster¡ª¡¯ She cleared her throat. ¡°If you do this, it seems that I have seen enough of your skills.¡± ¡°How is it?¡± ¡°To be honest, if you want, you can become a wizard belonging to the Imperial Family right away.¡± Rose thought she would be pleased, but Celine¡¯s reaction was the exact opposite. She could not hide her darkened complexion and cast her sullen gaze to the ground. ¡®Why is she like that?¡¯ She frowned as she thought. __ Chapter 74 Chapter 74 She immediately knew why. ¡°¡­Then, is it difficult to become stronger?¡± There was an obvious disappointment in Celine¡¯s voice. ¡°No.¡± Rose lightly jumped from the melting ice castle onto the flower garden before she opened her mouth again. ¡°Now tell me, what do you think you lack? What do you want us to do?¡± ¡°Well. There are so many things missing¡­¡± Celine blurted out her words. ¡°Think slowly. What would you most like to fix? After reaching a certain level, you would know best.¡± Rose was right. As she pondered after listening to her words, it didn¡¯t take her very long to find out what she wanted most. ¡°My magic is¡­ like a rattling carriage. It lacks finesse and precision. While I¡¯ve gotten a little better lately, I still want to use better magic.¡± ¡°Celine, may I know what your end goal is? Not just being a strong wizard. Right now, you seem to have a clear goal in front of your eyes.¡± Celine answered immediately without thinking. ¡°Of course, a wizard of a level that will help Leonhard.¡± Hearing the immediate answer, Rose giggled and suddenly burst into laughter. ¡°Are you more ambitious than you look? How could you say you want to become the greatest wizard in the Empire!¡± ¡°¡­.¡± Even though she tried to argue, Celine realized that Rose was right. After all, Leonhard was the strongest man in this field. ¡°Anyway, now that I know what the goal is, that¡¯s much better.¡± Rose smiled. ¡°Is it possible?¡± ¡°Of course.¡± Answering Celine, her eyes sparkled. ¡°If only you do as I say.¡± ¡°I will listen to anything you say.¡± Celine hurriedly replied. ¡°Then, forget what Celine thinks of your weaknesses¡­ completely.¡± ¡°¡­.?¡± Her eyes widened and swayed confusedly at Rose¡¯s unclear remarks as she kept listening quietly. ¡°Celine thinks that your weak point in magic is lack of delicacy and lack of accuracy, right?¡± ¡°Yes. Leonhard¡­ thinks so.¡± ¡°Obviously, it has to be.¡± ¡°Yes?¡± While she blinked her eyes, Rose smiled and explained slowly. ¡°We call a case like you a whale. Of course, you¡¯re dull because you¡¯re big, but you have that much power.¡± ¡°But¡­¡± ¡°Of course, if you can¡¯t use delicate magic at all or if the accuracy is too low, it will be a problem. Still, I didn¡¯t see anything like that before?¡± She bit her lip. It was because instead of fixing her own problems, Rose was giving her compliments. This wasn¡¯t what she wanted. ¡°However, when I used movement magic¡­¡± Celine told her story of her experience of moving the entire knights, but Rose wasn¡¯t surprised at all. ¡°Oh, I heard about that. At that time, I wondered what a wizard of Lord Leonhard¡¯s level would be like, but now I understand.¡± Saying so, she lightly touched Celine¡¯s chest with her forefinger. ¡°Don¡¯t use that kind of magic in the future.¡± ¡°What?¡± ¡°It¡¯s not magic that suits you.¡± ¡°¡­.¡± Those words were so absurd to her that anger welled up in Celine. Seeing her like that, Rose parted her lips to explain quickly, ¡°Oh, are you mad? I¡¯m sorry. It¡¯s because I don¡¯t have time so I couldn¡¯t explain properly. How can I say this¡­ Ah!¡± All of a sudden, she clapped her hands and continued her words. ¡°Even Lord Leonhard is not omnipotent, is he?¡± ¡°Well, Leonhard is a magic swordsman.¡± ¡°Yes. Magic swordsman.¡± Repeating Celine¡¯s words, she smiled brightly. ¡°I think Celine is a magic warrior, then.¡± ¡°Excuse me?¡± ¡°It¡¯s a word between us.¡± Rose shrugged her shoulders. ¡°Celine is not the type to focus on trivial magic like movement magic.¡± ¡°You mean to focus on attack magic?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± She nodded her head at Celine¡¯s words. ¡°Of course, you can build a house in an instant by mastering the movement magic or mastering the earth attribute if you put your heart and soul into it. Still, what good does that do for Lord Leonhard?¡± ¡°¡­.¡± ¡°Besides, even if you think about Lord Leonhard separately, it only comes to the conclusion that it¡¯s a waste of talent.¡± ¡°Okay.¡± Celine nodded her head slowly. From what she heard, it seemed that she had been worrying for nothing. ¡®¡­Yes, in order to help Leonhard, I should try to use stronger attack magic.¡¯ Rose spoke in a brighter voice. ¡°Looking at your expression, I think we can start now.¡± ¡°Can I just ask you a question?¡± ¡°Please.¡± ¡°What type is Rose?¡± A mischievous smile appeared on her face and she replied, ¡°Of course, a magic warrior. I had a similar concern to you years ago.¡± After a few hours. ¡°Huuuuuaah¡­¡± Celine let out her breath and sat down in the flower garden. Unlike Lute Carl, Rose didn¡¯t consider her in the slightest. Rather, whenever she looked weary, Rose would straighten her up right away. ¡°Wake up. Isn¡¯t it Celine who doesn¡¯t have time?¡± ¡°Haah¡­ wait¡­¡± Celine grabbed her chest. If she continued to train without rest, it felt like her heart would explode and she would die. She didn¡¯t want to cause an unfortunate death in front of Rose, as it would be if she were in front of Leonhard or the escort maids who knew about the curse. ¡®I should have kept the crystal ball¡­!¡¯ But, what should she do with the crystal ball she had already broken? Soon, she took Rose¡¯s hand and slowly raised her body. ¡®At least I won¡¯t die from magic exhaustion.¡¯ Anyway, this place was filled with flowers that acted as living magic stones. If she had enough magic power, it was a good opportunity to see how much firepower she could dissipate¡­ Although the problem was that Rose was driving her to the point of dying from physical exhaustion, not magic exhaustion. ¡°Are you having a hard time?¡± ¡°Yes. I think I will die.¡± As Celine said with sincerity, Rose gazed at her blankly before putting her hand on her chin. ¡°Get some rest.¡± ¡°Well, how long can I train here?¡± She raised one of her eyebrows at Celine¡¯s question and replied slowly. ¡°As long as you want?¡± ¡°So, you mean I can train for days and days?¡± ¡°Oh.¡± The question made Rose lost in her thoughts for a moment. ¡°I thought you would want to go back early. If that¡¯s not the case¡­ You can do it a little slower.¡± Celine let out a sigh of relief. If she continued like this, she would really die. ¡°Should I contact Lord Leonhard instead?¡± ¡°I will contact him directly. Please teach me how to contact him as you have sent me before.¡± Rose was dumbfounded, and she laughed. ¡°I thought you would say it. All right, it¡¯s not difficult.¡± Leonhard smiled as he saw the golden letters shining in front of his eyes. As expected, Celine seemed to get along well with the wizards belonging to the Imperial Family. ¡®I should have let her reach them earlier.¡¯ However, it was good news that the wizards belonging to the Imperial Family could not wait and voluntarily contacted Celine. He had barely had contact with the imperial wizards since he was fifteen, but he was well aware of their behavior. ¡®They will never try to lose money.¡¯ Still, they won¡¯t harm the same wizards. In addition, Celine would return with sufficient achievements. ¡®I can¡¯t stay still either.¡¯ Thinking so, he slowly made his way to the hotel stable. As Black buried his nose in his hand and cried, Leonhard jumped lightly onto the horse¡¯s back. Not too long ago, all he could do was wield Rashir in an empty room. But now, he had a card that guaranteed loyalty. The Paradiso Knights. ¡°You idiots, can¡¯t you move quickly?¡± Bart, the Captain of the Paradiso Knights, screamed as if his throat was about to burst. Meanwhile, even though the members did not openly express dissatisfaction, they carried their things in a procrastinating way. The Paradiso Knights were given a lodging that was twice as wide and larger than the original one by the Emperor as a reward for killing the monsters in the border area. Bart was very happy with the new accommodation. Unlike the previous accommodation, where he had to bring the servants themselves, they even had more than thirty servants attached to the accommodation. The problem was the members¡­ They kept rambling, perhaps they were grown accustomed to their old accommodation and refused to move their things into the new one. So, he made a very reasonable argument about how they could keep using the training ground that was all destroyed and messed up by monsters. However, only nonsensical words came back saying that such a messed up training ground was actually the most suitable for actual combat. It wasn¡¯t until Bart ground the vice-captain that he learned the real reason why the members were refusing the new accommodation. ¡°There are rumors that it is haunted¡­!¡± ¡°What do you mean haunted!¡± Bart groaned in disbelief. ¡°Everyone didn¡¯t talk about it because they knew the captain would come out like that.¡± ¡°¡­.¡± ¡°I don¡¯t believe in that either, but anyway, our members are reluctant, so what can we do?¡± He then clenched his teeth. On the other hand, the vice-captain made an irrefutable remark with an obnoxious face. Nonetheless, it was impossible to ask for new accommodation. If they rejected the accommodation given by the Emperor because of superstition, who would bear the aftermath? ¡®So, let¡¯s continue to use the original accommodation¡­ that¡¯s easier.¡¯ Bart contorted his face. The dome-shaped training ground was so distorted that it was impossible to find the original shape. As he was still muttering inside, a newcomer came running in a hurry. ¡°Captain!¡± ¡°What is going on?¡± ¡°Lord¡­!¡± He didn¡¯t need to hear more than that. Bart hurried toward the entrance. At the same time, the members who were carrying their items of luggage also rushed after him. Leonhard Bernoulli was standing in the doorway. ¡°The new place looks good.¡± Bart smiled happily. Who would dare to dispute what Leonhard Bernoulli said to be good? However, his men did that hard job¡­ ¡°It looks good from the outside, but¡­¡± ¡°Shut up.¡± Even though he reacted quickly, it was too late. ¡°What do you mean?¡± Leonhard frowned. ¡°Is there something that makes you uncomfortable?¡± ¡°There is none.¡± Bart responded immediately, but a clamor erupted from the members who intuited that this was their only chance. ¡°Lord Leonhard, please save us. There are ghosts here!¡± ¡°¡­Ghosts?¡± Leonhard¡¯s face hardened at those words. ¡°It is nonsense. Never mind.¡± ¡°I¡¯ve seen a lot of baseless rumors.¡± ¡°There is no basis for this.¡± ¡°I respect your opinion, but¡­ can members live a proper life only when they are so anxious? Who knows about the rumors?¡± Surprisingly, the person who raised his hand was the vice-captain. Even though Bart immediately glared at him, he steadfastly explained. ¡°It is said that this place was built over an underground labyrinth where prisoners were locked up and starved to death a long time ago. Maybe, that¡¯s why we see suspicious entrances. There are not a few people who have witnessed ghosts nearby.¡± ¡°Really?¡± Leonhard strode into the building. Looking at his lord¡¯s lukewarm reaction, he glared at the vice-captain again as if saying, ¡®I knew it.¡¯ Nevertheless, Bart¡¯s jaw dropped open at Leonhard¡¯s following words. ¡°Guide me to those entrances.¡± __ Chapter 75 Chapter 75 ¡°The nearest one is here.¡± At the question, the vice-commander pointed to a small door in the corner of the corridor where the members¡¯ bedrooms were located. The door was so small that one person had to crawl through it. And at the next moment, a brave member of the ranks stepped forward and pulled the doorknob as hard as he could, but the door wouldn¡¯t budge. Leonhard frowned. The door was obviously suspicious, but he didn¡¯t feel any strange aura, let alone a ghost, in this space. However, his head was confused to the point of dizziness. ¡°Are there many doors like this?¡± ¡°For now, there are only seven that we know of.¡± ¡°It is strange.¡± ¡°Right? As expected, a ghost¡­!¡± ¡°I don¡¯t mean that.¡± Leonhard raised his hand to stop the commotion among the members. ¡°I have heard that there¡¯s a knight¡¯s building built on top of the underground labyrinth. However, these doors are not related to the maze¡­ Something is strange.¡± ¡°Isn¡¯t it because it¡¯s too precious to bury the maze itself forever?¡± ¡°Then, why are there seven doors? One or two would suffice.¡± Saying so, he sat down on the floor and pulled the door open with his own hand. Leonhard could feel the tight flow of magical power. ¡®¡­As expected, it¡¯s strange.¡¯ This magic was different from the magic of ordinary wizards that he was familiar with. Still, he did not feel the evil energy of black magic. ¡®What is it?¡¯ He decided to examine all the remaining doors as well. ¡°I must see the rest. Guide me.¡± Leonhard got the clue when he reached the last, seventh door. The last door was on the kitchen floor. As he pulled the doorknob gently, he could feel the energy of ghosts swirling behind the door. ¡°They were all gathered here.¡± ¡°What¡­?¡± Bart groaned. ¡°Everything behind this is a ghost.¡± Leonhard¡¯s voice was so hard that it could no longer be stiffened. ¡°Commander Bart, your subordinates are right. This building cannot be used.¡± ¡°Lor-Lord Leonhard somehow¡­!¡± ¡°I¡¯ve only killed ghosts twice. It was one each. Behind this¡­ I can feel at least a dozen ghosts.¡± This was not the first time for him, and certainly not the last. When he decided that it was best to leave it alone, however, to the knights who worshiped him, it was no different from the sound of the sky falling. The faces of all members of the Knights of Paradiso, including Bart, turned pale. ¡°Th-then what should I do¡­¡± ¡°I¡¯ll make sure to tell His Majesty about this.¡± ¡°Thank, thank you!¡± As Bart thanked him deeply, the other members did the same. Nonetheless, Leonhard realized that the situation was not so easy. Their original quarters were completely destroyed. There wouldn¡¯t be any buildings of this size, especially for a Carpathia, left. ¡®But, I can¡¯t make them use this.¡¯ If they stayed in a building like this for a little longer, he didn¡¯t know how overwhelmed they would be. ¡°Does everyone have a place to stay in the imperial capital?¡± ¡°Yes? We were thinking of going back to our old building.¡± Leonhard shook his head. ¡°You can¡¯t stay there forever, can you? There should be a place to spend a considerable amount of time in the future.¡± ¡°¡­.¡± Almost all the members, even commander Bart, exchanged anxious glances with each other. ¡°It doesn¡¯t look like it.¡± Looking at them, he sighed. Then, there was only one answer left. ¡°If you¡¯re not uncomfortable, why don¡¯t you stay at my family¡¯s villa.¡± ¡°Yes¡­?¡± At those words, Bart¡¯s mouth opened blankly, and a dazed sound came out. Leonhard had a rough idea of their feelings, so he explained slowly. ¡°My family¡¯s villa in the imperial capital is big enough to accommodate all of you. There is not a single servant, but you can tolerate that much inconvenience.¡± ¡°Yes¡­!¡± Bart¡¯s voice trembled when he finally grasped the situation. The expressions on the faces of the other members were varied. Some people¡¯s faces turned white from the shock, and others sat on the floor as their legs gave out. They even saw people shaking their heads and muttering something as if they thought they had heard nonsense. However, none of them declined Leonhard¡¯s favor. ¡®I like it.¡¯ Leonhard didn¡¯t like those who kicked out the opportunities they were given. ¡°Pack up. I don¡¯t think you need to stay here any longer.¡± Training continued until the sun went down and the moon rose, but neither Rose nor Celine said to quit. The intense hunger she felt in the middle was soothed by hurriedly swallowing the emergency rations Rose took out of her robe. ¡°Celine, what is that?¡± ¡°Yes?¡± Suddenly, she pointed at Celine¡¯s waist. It was exactly where Ringzor was located. ¡®¡­Well, it¡¯s not a big secret.¡¯ Anyway, even when fighting with the Knights of Paradiso, she used Ringzor countless times. Celine took out Ringzor without hesitation and showed it. Rose¡¯s eyes widened. ¡°This¡­ it¡¯s Ringzor. There¡¯s no way His Majesty gave it directly. Was it a gift from Lord Leonhard?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± Celine gave a short answer. Rose studied Ringzor carefully for a long time. When she took her eyes off Ringzor, her face hardened. ¡°How long have you been carrying this without a scabbard?¡± At the question, she frowned and thought back. Leonhard received her Ringzor just before going to the South and gave it to her. ¡°Uh¡­ It could have been a month.¡± ¡°Why didn¡¯t you make a scabbard right away?¡± There was even anger in Rose¡¯s voice. ¡°I don¡¯t think I really need a scabbard. I even received a magic stone to use as a material¡­¡± ¡°I beg your pardon?¡± Celine briefly explained to Rose, who was bewildered, that she had been given a quality southern magic stone, and that she hadn¡¯t had time to make her scabbard yet. ¡°Anyway, that is¡­!¡± Rose looked genuinely angry. ¡°Didn¡¯t Lord Leonhard say anything?¡± ¡°Leonhard didn¡¯t seem to care much about the scabbard.¡± She was silent for a moment at Celine¡¯s before slowly opening her mouth. ¡°The past cannot be changed. In any case, it seems to me that the scabbard for this should be made immediately. It¡¯s fortunate that you¡¯re next to Flua.¡± ¡°What¡¯s the problem if I don¡¯t make it?¡± ¡°¡­There will be frequent moments where you don¡¯t know if Ringzor is you or you are Ringzor.¡± Rose added in an eerie tone. ¡°Then, at some point, only Ringzor will be left.¡± Celine and Rose returned to Flua. This time they went down the stairs instead of up. There was also an open window near the passage leading down to the basement, and out of the window were a lot of glistening minerals. ¡°All of them are magic stones.¡± ¡°Then, is this a mine?¡± ¡°No.¡± Rose smiled slightly. ¡°Everyone who sees it for the first time thinks that, but no. They are by-products of our research.¡± ¡°What kind of research is it¡­¡± ¡°It¡¯s enough research to make Ringzor¡¯s scabbard right away.¡± Celine didn¡¯t get it, so she didn¡¯t ask anymore. However, she soon remembered that Leonhard had said that the boss monster¡¯s core and the remnants of the warlock were sent to the Imperial Family for research. ¡®It must be that research.¡¯ That would make sense that the by-product was a magic stone. Since the material itself was the core of the boss monster, it was not surprising at all if it generated a huge magic stone. After walking down for a while, they arrived in front of a massive door. As Rose put her hands on the door, the seemingly massive door opened slowly with a dull sound to match. ¡°¡­.!¡± The blue-grey eyes widened. In the last few months, Celine thought she had seen a lot of things she couldn¡¯t believe, yet the space before her eyes felt more unreal than anything she had ever seen. She was in a high and cool space like a vast cave, and it was filled with all sorts of fantastic instruments. She stared blankly at the balloon closest to the entrance. Dozens of lamps emitting colorful lights were hanging in the air without any power and shooting light in all directions. ¡®¡­It¡¯s not that there¡¯s no power.¡¯ Suddenly, Celine realized. A familiar object was stuck on the floor¡­ it was the core of the monster. ¡°Studying the core of a monster¡­ You weren¡¯t studying the core itself, you were studying how to use it.¡± ¡°There is a team that studies the core itself. There¡¯s not much result.¡± Saying so, Rose grabbed her hand and dragged her, half ignoring Celine¡¯s flinching response. ¡°Come quickly. I¡¯m going to die of a heart attack if you don¡¯t make a scabbard for that damn thing.¡± Celine¡¯s eyes rolled dizzily in all directions as she followed Rose. ¡®It¡¯s like¡­ a real lab.¡¯ Except that they wore long robes instead of white gowns, they looked like a lab in a research institute she¡¯d seen on the news. Furthermore, excluding the fact that the power was not electricity, but the core of the boss monster. Celine¡¯s face darkened at the thought that almost all of them were cores that Leonhard had worked hard to extract. Eventually, Rose stopped in front of the wizard with her back bent over. The wizard, who seemed utterly oblivious to their presence, was staring intently at something while wearing a robe from head to toe. ¡°Pearl. I have an interesting job.¡± ¡°¡­If it¡¯s not fun, I¡¯ll kick you out.¡± A hoarse voice flowed from Pearl¡¯s throat. ¡°It¡¯s about making Ringzor¡¯s sword scabbard.¡± ¡°What¡­?¡± Pearl raised her head. Celine was surprised by her shining eyes, glinting even under the hood, but she didn¡¯t budge. ¡°Don¡¯t play around.¡± ¡°Celine, show her.¡± At those words, she carefully took Ringzor out of her arms, and Pearl¡¯s gaze licked the blade of Ringzor. ¡°¡­The materials.¡± ¡°Here you are.¡± When Celine spread out the handful of magic stones she received from Count Sharp, Pearl immediately snatched the magic stones. ¡°Pearl, how long will it take?¡± ¡°Wait¡­¡± ¡°It won¡¯t take long.¡± While Celine was dazed, like Rose, she sat down on the floor and watched Pearl¡¯s work. She worked more like a blacksmith than a wizard. The magic stones that passed from Celine¡¯s hand to Pearl went into a huge furnace and heated up for a long time, then began to cling to each other with a rough hammer. After a while, she dropped the strangely shiny black scabbard, which had no trace of the magic stone, on the floor. Celine swallowed a gulp. The scabbard that Pearl had made was a familiar shape to her. ¡®It¡¯s similar to Rashir¡¯s scabbard¡­¡¯ Celine carefully put Ringzor into the new scabbard and put it around her waist. ¡°¡­.!¡± ¡°You can see why I said you needed a sheath, right?¡± Celine nodded her head. The sense of stability provided by the new scabbard exceeded expectations. Soon, she got up to say thanks to Pearl. Right at that moment, screams of astonishment echoed from all sides. Celine instantly sat down on the floor as well. It was because the entire basement floor they were in started to shake violently, as if it were about to collapse. __ Chapter 76 Chapter 76 Leonhard frowned as he stood in front of the Bernoulli family¡¯s dilapidated villa, which had not been visited by anyone for the past three years. ¡®¡­I didn¡¯t know it would be like this. If I had brought Celine, it would have been in trouble.¡¯ Weeds that grew up to a short soldier¡¯s head swayed in the wind, and thorny vines covered the door, requiring Rashir to cut it down. If Celine had come here, she would have been horrified, thinking that it was just another cursed mansion. ¡°This is where ghosts are more likely to appear¡­ I¡¯m sorry.¡± ¡°No¡­! Some weeds have grown. Isn¡¯t that possible? We will pick it out for you if you want.¡± ¡°No. You don¡¯t have to do that. You guys are our guests.¡± ¡°Lord Leonhard¡­!¡± Leonhard swallowed a sigh inside as he looked at Bart, who was so moved that he was about to shed tears. ¡®I hope the inside is fine.¡¯ Fortunately, the inside of the mansion was not much different from when the Bernoulli family last withdrew from the Capital, except it was full of dust. However, it felt like a palace to the knights who had been living in a place much worse than that. Leonhard was still content with checking out the neat outdoor and indoor training grounds. ¡°I will give you exactly one hour. Unpack and gather here, and then it¡¯s time to train.¡± ¡°¡­Lord Leonhard, are you training us yourself?¡± The vice-commander asked with his eyes wide open in disbelief. ¡°Yes. You will be tired, so those who don¡¯t want to train may continue to rest.¡± Bart and the vice-commander, as well as the other members, stomped their feet and shouted. ¡°No!¡± ¡°No way¡­!¡± ¡°I will drag all of those halfwits and bring them.¡± Hearing that, Leonhard smiled softly at him. ¡°Then, I look forward to your kind cooperation.¡± ¡®They¡¯re holding up better than I thought?¡¯ He admired, trying not to show it outwardly. Even their lunch was not a proper meal, but the Paradiso Knights, who had roughly filled themselves up with combat rations, all attacked him vigorously as one. Leonhard felt satisfaction as he dealt with them with his practice sword while keeping Rashir calmly in the scabbard. The one with the best swordsmanship skills was Daniel, a member who had just turned twenty. Nonetheless, the Paradiso Knights became the scariest when they moved under Bart¡¯s command. He was able to deal with dozens of dubious people with a single practice sword though those who moved under his command were never dubious. ¡°¡­I surrender.¡± The dull sword fell from Leonhard¡¯s hand. The Paradiso Knights cheered. There were even those who collapsed halfway, saying it was the glory of the family. ¡°Lord, Lord Leonhard¡­¡± However, there was only one of them, someone who smiled awkwardly and looked at Leonhard. It was Bart ¡°Are you okay?¡± Leonhard laughed. ¡°I am not weak enough to put unnecessary feelings on these things. Be honest and happy.¡± ¡°No, because it looks like you got hit badly earlier.¡± ¡°Ah.¡± At that, he rubbed his left arm, which had been badly beaten by Daniel. ¡°Nothing. This is nothing. More than that, I¡¯m really impressed. You raised them well, Commander Bart.¡± ¡°It¡¯s, it¡¯s an honor¡­¡± Bart¡¯s voice trembled with emotion that was never made up. ¡°Then, shall we go again?¡± After a few hours. When the sun had already set, no one in the Paradiso Knights could cheer or laugh. Regardless, Leonhard still raised his practice sword without a hint of tiredness, and the Paradiso Knights jumped up and attacked him. ¡°Lord Leonhardt, with all due respect¡­¡± ¡°What is going on?¡± Leonhard, who was swinging his sword in a half-trance state, flinched at Bart¡¯s words and blinked his eyes. ¡°Our members are so tired. I think there will be no injuries if we let them rest.¡± ¡°Ah. Yes, that¡¯s right.¡± He nodded his head and checked the condition of the members. ¡°¡­I¡¯m sorry. I didn¡¯t know you were struggling this much.¡± Leonhard spoke slowly. ¡°Still, it¡¯s the first time I¡¯ve met knights with this level of skill¡­ I got a little excited. I hope there are no misunderstandings.¡± ¡°Lord Leonhard¡­!¡± Bart¡¯s eyes turned red. Most of the members also stumbled up from their seats and bowed to him even though they were so exhausted that they could hardly move properly. ¡°Then, everyone, go in and rest.¡± ¡°Yes¡­!¡± Leonhard was the first to leave the training ground. Before dinner, there was work to be done. ¡®They¡¯re not just a one-time Carpathian.¡¯ They were the knights representing the empire, and they had enough qualities to go down in history. ¡®¡­I shouldn¡¯t have brought them.¡¯ Until he checked their skills properly today, he only considered them to be those with a few qualities among the knights belonging to the imperial family. However, not only did they have outstanding individual qualities, but they also possessed an outstanding commander. If they were hated by the Imperial Family because of his hasty actions¡­ ¡®¡­I couldn¡¯t just leave them there.¡¯ Leonhard muttered, dissatisfied to himself. If these people had a lot of money, he would have let them find accommodation in the Imperial Capital, but he couldn¡¯t pretend to not know the situation. Fortunately, he knew how to deal with this situation. After the sun goes down, he would avoid people¡¯s attention and have an audience with the Emperor to explain the situation. Although he had already made a brief report through a messenger, it had to have a different weight if he personally came forward and spoke for them. ¡®Celine¡­ I¡¯m glad she is with the other wizards.¡¯ He thought of Celine, who was with the wizards belonging to the Imperial Family. Leonhard smiled bitterly. He didn¡¯t like wizards in general¡­ even more so, the wizardsbelongedg to the Imperial Family. Of course, insisting on the cause, it would be on himself. Despite that, the depth of the grove over the past nine years has rendered the cause meaningless. There was only one reason why he sent Celine to the wizards belonging to the imperial family¡­ it was the only place where she could become strong while being protected from the warlocks. Over the past few months, Leonhard had learned to accept his limitations. Celine could and should have gotten help from other people, not him. Right before meeting the Emperor, Leonhard took a deep breath to clear his mind. He wasn¡¯t here to report the achievements of his mission. He was here to protect those who swore allegiance to him. At that moment, he could feel a cold sweat on his palms. ¡®¡­I can do well.¡¯ As he slowly stepped into the throne room, the Emperor sat down on his throne and looked down at him. Leonhard respectfully knelt down. ¡°Frederick¡¯s son Leonhard meets the Emperor.¡± The Emperor went straight to the point. ¡°I saw and heard that you came in person means that there are things that cannot be said through a messenger, right?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± ¡°Tell me.¡± ¡°Your Majesty, that is¡­¡± Leonhard¡¯s explanation was over after about ten minutes. It was because the Emperor interrupted in the middle and persistently asked for details. ¡®Why did he go this far?¡¯ Cold sweat formed not only on Leonhard¡¯s palms but also on his forehead. He had a bad feeling. ¡°Looks like you liked them quite a bit¡­ the Paradiso Knights.¡± ¡°Yes. One of the best knights I¡¯ve ever met. I think they will grow into the best knights if they are faithful to their training and receive sufficient support like they are now.¡± ¡°Is it?¡± The Emperor neither affirmed nor denied. ¡°Seeing that you care so much, it is clear that they are exceptional people. You¡¯ve never been inspired by any knights you¡¯ve seen?¡± ¡°That is¡­¡± The corner of the Emperor¡¯s mouth went up. ¡°Sooner or later, I will give them a new building, so until then, they are allowed to stay at Bernoulli.¡± ¡°I will be grateful¡­!¡± Leonhard lowered his head again. He expected the Emperor¡¯s decree to be written, but nothing was heard. So, he kept on kneeling down and waiting for the Emperor to speak, feeling the tight tension. ¡°If you and Ricardo collide in the future, I will raise your hand.¡± ¡°¡­.?¡± At those words, Leonhard looked up at the Emperor with a bewildered face. ¡°Your Majesty, what is that¡­¡± ¡°Leonhard, your actions today will be taken by Ricardo as treason against him.¡± ¡°¡­.!¡± ¡°And I have no intention of stopping that.¡± The Emperor frowned. ¡°Stand up, Leonhard Bernoulli.¡± Leonhard staggered and rose. The words that came out of the Emperor¡¯s mouth seemed to punch hard at his head. ¡°I will say it clearly now. I do not want Ricardo to succeed me.¡± ¡°Your Majesty¡­!¡± Leonhard exclaimed in amazement. Under the Crown Prince, there were several younger siblings with a rather large age gap from him though none of them dared to aim for the throne. The Empire was able to distribute enough power and wealth to all of the Emperor¡¯s children and to go against the rightful heir, the eldest son, was to slit the duck that lays the golden eggs. Besides, the Emperor directly rejected his own successor¡­? It was unprecedented in the history of the empire. The Emperor waved his hand slowly. ¡°I know what you are thinking. I know the reality is Ricardo will succeed me.¡± His cold eyes looked straight at Leonhard. ¡°However, it can¡¯t go on like this. Ricardo needs a competitor to be a proper Emperor. He has a competitor strong enough to take his place¡­ That is you.¡± It was only then that Leonhard realized how the Emperor viewed him. ¡­He was the fertilizer to make Ricardo Unsolem into a perfect Emperor. ¡°Your Majesty, then our north¡­!¡± Leonhard exclaimed urgently. Even though it was good to keep the Crown Prince in check and stimulate him to become the perfect Emperor, after Prince Ricardo became Emperor, where was the guarantee that he would not retaliate against the North? ¡°Hahahaha¡­!¡± The Emperor let out a laugh that burst from the very depths of his heart. ¡°Have you not noticed yet? Why did I choose you?¡± Leonhard, frozen in his seat, only opened his mouth. ¡°Leonhard, Ricardo can¡¯t hurt you. If you disappear, who will cut the warlock?¡± ¡°¡­.¡± The Emperor smiled softly and licked his lips with his tongue. For the first time in Leonhard¡¯s life, he thought that the lord he had truly served was like a snake. ¡°So¡­ live a long, healthy life. Ricardo will retaliate against the whole North if he thinks he doesn¡¯t need you.¡± __ Chapter 77 Chapter 77 Even after leaving the throne room, Leonhard could not come to his senses for a long time. ¡®¡­His Majesty must be misunderstanding something.¡¯ However, he could not even explain to himself what exactly the Emperor was thinking of. Clearly, over the past few months, the Crown Prince had only shown a disappointing side so it was not unreasonable for him to want to change the Crown Prince somehow. ¡­Even if he used him. ¡®This¡­ I have to report it to my parents.¡¯ Leonhard touched his forehead. Three years ago, he tried to solve it by himself, but the Bernoulli family ended up completely withdrawing from the Capital. Besides, he had to focus entirely on breaking Celine¡¯s curse for now, so it would be best to borrow his parents¡¯ help for such a troublesome task. ¡®I feel sorry for Celine, but I might have to go back to the North for a while¡­¡¯ Suddenly, his entire body froze. Even though he listened to his surroundings without moving, he didn¡¯t hear anything though goosebumps sprouted all over his body. Reflexively, he squeezed Rashir¡¯s hilt. It was simply a bad feeling, but the cause must be serious. Leonhard closed his eyes and focused his mind. ¡®¡­.!¡¯ The huge magic power that was blocked by something was bubbling and bursting out of place. It was a magical power of a scale and nature that was too foreign to belong to an ordinary wizard. Leonhard gritted his teeth and started running through the corridor. Magic of such a strange nature¡­ He had only experienced it once. It was at a research institute where wizards belonging to the imperial family used the cores of the boss monsters that he had slain to create various suspicious tools. ¡®Something¡¯s wrong.¡¯ He had a hunch. Maybe one stupid wizard crossed the road of no return playing with a core¡­ then, the only thing that could stop it was him in this Empire. Leonhard, who took out Rashir and ran, didn¡¯t have the slightest hesitation. Naturally, he did not know the exact location of the laboratory. It was because the wizards belonging to the imperial family hid the location of the research center, even from the Crown Prince. The only way to get there was to travel with them. However, he didn¡¯t have to find a wizard belonging to the Imperial Family and ask where the research center was because he could just feel it. Only the strange flow of magic that he felt from the tip of Rashir was the compass and guidepost he needed. After a while. After training with the Paradiso Knights all day, Leonhard, who was already tired from hearing the bombshell declaration from the emperor, stopped in exhaustion. The place where he stopped was in front of a wasteland that seemed ordinary at first glance. ¡®¡­.¡¯ He frowned. Undoubtedly, the aura of strange magic was still felt here, yet he couldn¡¯t see a way to get into the lab anywhere. ¡ªWhip! Leonhard started by swinging Rashir in the air a few times. If anyone had seen it, they would have thought he was crazy. ¡°Aagh!¡± A scream came from the air. Leonhardt ordered in a voice like frost. ¡°Let me in.¡± ¡°Lord Leonhard! Even if it¡¯s you, you cannot enter here!¡± Listening to the words, he snorted. Right now, the entire laboratory they cherished might explode. ¡°Are you in a position to hide it now?¡± ¡°¡­But, no¡ª¡± Leonhard sensed that the voice of the unseen person was filled with fear. Fortunately, it wasn¡¯t out of fear of him. ¡°If you don¡¯t let me in, the laboratory you cherish so much will explode.¡± ¡°How, how could that be¡­!¡± ¡°I have known for a long time that this is the entrance to the laboratory.¡± He lied without spitting in his mouth. After all, the other person would not have time to judge the situation properly. ¡°¡­.!¡± An invisible voice gasped in horror. ¡°So, show yourself and let me in.¡± ¡°¡­.¡± Very slowly, the shape of a wizard began to appear in the empty space. The tattered clothes and the complexion that looked like it would collapse from exhaustion at any moment made it possible to guess the situation inside. ¡°Lord Leonhard, please promise me one thing. You shouldn¡¯t tell anyone what you saw here.¡± ¡°Are there any rumors that I¡¯m a good spreader?¡± ¡°It¡¯s not like that.¡± The wizard shook his head. ¡°Please don¡¯t report anything you saw inside, even to the Emperor.¡± ¡°I understand.¡± If Leonhard had heard the same thing before meeting the emperor, he would have hesitated for quite some time. But now, he was quite upset so he didn¡¯t intend to report it. ¡°What?¡± ¡°I will. I swear by my name and by Rashir.¡± The wizard¡¯s eyes widened. There was no one who did not know that Leonhard Bernoulli¡¯s oath to Rashir was always kept. ¡°Yes¡­ Please come this way.¡± He soon strode towards the wizard. In the next moment, a huge flow of magical power swallowed him up. ¡®¡­It¡¯s movement magic.¡¯ Leonhard smiled bitterly. Even when he only went to the laboratory once, he used movement magic. He thought at the time that it was just to go at once with little movement. Still, he was in a space that could only be entered with movement magic. Wasn¡¯t it different from a space that only those invited by the imperial wizards could enter? ¡®Wait¡­¡¯ For a moment, he was so sorely tightened that he wondered if his heart had stopped. A wizard belonging to the imperial family invited Celine to an unknown place called ¡®Flua¡¯, and she moved right there with movement magic¡­ ¡®¡­No way.¡¯ He swallowed a gulp. Flua was a lost archaic word meaning flower. And, what unfolded before his eyes was a vast field of withered and dying flowers. ¡°Celine¡ª!¡± Leonhard¡¯s scream echoed through the decaying flower fields. Celine thought the vibrations would soon subside, but it was the exact opposite. The vibrations intensified and toppled all around until she was unable to even sit still. Rose grabbed her arm and started half-crawling on the floor. ¡°Wh-wha, what happened¡­¡± Rose made no reply. No, she seemed unable to answer. Like Celine, she, too, was trembling all over in astonishment and terror. Rose spoke when they reached the wall of the cave where the other wizards had already settled down and were sitting back to back against the wall. ¡°Inject magic¡­ to this wall.¡± ¡°What? Is this a cave?¡± ¡°Yes. Quickly¡­!¡± As Rose¡¯s urgent and alert voice resounded, Celine closed her eyes, focused her mind, and sighed. ¡®It¡¯s alive!¡¯ The wall reacted to her magic like a living creature and absorbed the magic power injected into it. For a moment, she thought it was a monster, but she didn¡¯t feel the evil energy unique to a monster. ¡°What is this?¡± Celine could not overcome her curiosity and spat out a word, but they didn¡¯t give her a proper answer. ¡°It is better not to know.¡± After a while, the walls of the cave swarmed once loudly. ¡°Ack¡­!¡± Even though she let out a shriek, the atmosphere around her was quite the opposite. Rather, most of the wizards sighed and swept their chests, saying that they survived. Rose was no exception. She half-embraced Celine with a bright face. ¡°Now the hump is over! You worked hard, Celine.¡± Celine blinked her eyes. The shaking that had really shaken the entire cave with the force to collapse was gradually fading away. ¡°Now tell me. What happened, and what is this?¡± ¡°¡­I¡¯ll tell you later. Now we have to get out of here.¡± ¡°I-is the dangerous thing over?¡± Rose frowned instead of answering. ¡°It¡¯s just that we¡¯ve passed the point of death for now.¡± Celine understood what she meant in just a few minutes. It started with Rose¡¯s hand losing her strength and slipping away as she ran across the cave with the other wizards, holding Celine¡¯s hand tight. In an instant, the lights that filled the entire cave disappeared, and suffocating darkness fell. She gulped. ¡®They¡¯re all wizards, so why not light a fire¡­¡¯ As soon as Celine tried to create the light, she could see why. This was no ordinary darkness. ¡°Ah¡­!¡± A scream erupted spontaneously from her mouth. The magic that Celine had gathered by focusing her mind was immediately robbed by the darkness, like a grown-up taking a toy away from a child. ¡®The darkness is alive, too¡­¡¯ When her body began to tremble with fear and tension, Celine took a slow, deep breath. Even if the situation was dangerous, panic did not help. ¡®Besides, I¡¯ve been through more dangerous situations than this.¡¯ Warlocks¡¯ strongholds and volcanoes couldn¡¯t be less dangerous than they were now. She tried hard to ignore the fact that, at the time, Leonhard was always by her side. ¡®¡­It¡¯s not that different from back then. I can do it.¡¯ She unconsciously squeezed Ringzor in the scabbard. ¡®Wait.¡¯ Even when she herself was rebounded by the Warlock, she was able to use killing magic with Ringzor. So, what now? If this darkness blocked the wizard¡¯s magical power in a similar way to the warlock, Ringzor would be able to fight against it. Celine very slowly pulled the Ringzor out of the scabbard. ¡°¡­.!¡± Ringzor began to shine brilliantly as soon as Celine touched it. ¡°Rose! Look at this¡­!¡± She opened her mouth and shouted, but Rose didn¡¯t answer. Seeing that, Celine hurriedly increased Ringzor¡¯s light even more, illuminating her in all directions. ¡°Ro, Rose¡­?¡± Her mouth trembled, and she couldn¡¯t get a single word out of her mouth. It was because the motionless wizards lying on the floor were revealed in Ringzor¡¯s bluish light. The strength in her leg loosened. ¡®No, it¡¯s because Ringzor¡¯s light is blue. Not everyone is dead¡­¡¯ Celine shook Rose, who was lying face down next to her. Still, even if she shook her hard, Rose was still silent so she put her finger under her nose instead. ¡®¡­She¡¯s alive.¡¯ A feeling of relief enveloped Celine. The next moment, she confirmed that several other wizards around her were also lying unconscious but not dead. ¡®Everyone is alive.¡¯ Slowly raising her body, her body no longer trembled. She would rescue these people against that mysterious enemy. ¡®I can do it.¡¯ Because Celine was immortal, not dying even if she died. __ Chapter 78 Chapter 78 ¡®It¡¯s strange.¡¯ Leonhard frowned. With every step he took, the rotten flowers were extinguished. Due to the nature of the wizards, there was no way they would let the environment around the research institute they hid become like this. If so, it was correct to assume that these flowers withered in an instant because of the accident that had just occurred. As he bent down and took a handful of wilted petals, he could feel the remnants of thick magic. ¡®¡­As expected.¡¯ Leonhard sighed. Long ago, he remembered hearing about living magic stones from Matthias. ¡®Still, I didn¡¯t think it was this common.¡¯ On the contrary, didn¡¯t Matthias say that he was raising a few living magic stones himself? However, since there was no wizard to answer now, Leonhard put aside the trivial question to one side of his head. After a while, a shabby house caught his eye and he ran straight toward the house. Even though he didn¡¯t feel any magic as he approached the house, he was certain that it was this place. Leonhard knocked hard on the door. ¡ªBang. The door didn¡¯t budge. ¡®It ended up like this.¡¯ The next moment, when he took out Rashir and groped for the door with the tip of his sword, he could feel a complex barrier. ¡ªCreak. Before long, the barrier was broken, and a huge fortress suddenly appeared in front of him. Leonhard slammed the door with his foot. ¡°¡­Lord Leonhardt. I don¡¯t think it¡¯s polite to do this.¡± As the door slid open and an old man peeked out, he sighed. ¡°Lute Garcia. Did the cowards on the inside send you out as a scapegoat?¡± ¡°No.¡± The old man shook his head. ¡°I have no intention of fighting you. Now, come in.¡± Leonhard slowly entered the laboratory. Dozens of wizards stood in the lobby on the first floor, staring at him expressionlessly. At that moment, the hair all over his body stood on end. Leonhard stared at the floor without even paying attention to the other wizards. ¡°It¡¯s underground.¡± ¡°You noticed right away.¡± ¡°Where is the way down?¡± ¡°¡­.¡± No one answered. Leonhard glared at Lute Garcia with burning eyes. ¡°I will ask you one more time. Where is the way down?¡± ¡°¡­There is none.¡± ¡°What?¡± Lute Garc¨ªa struggled to get his words out. ¡°We are all¡­ locked out together. No one can go down there anymore.¡± To Celine, ¡®she¡¯d rather die¡¯ was a taboo word because there was nothing more terrible to her than her death. But now, there was only one thought in her head. ¡®¡­I¡¯d rather die.¡¯ Celine gritted her teeth and put strength into her hand, holding Ringzor. She did all she could. Stronger, harder, faster¡­ All the magic power in her body was channeled through Ringzor and poured into this terrible darkness. Still, her effort was like a glass of water poured over hot sand on a summer day. The only thing that happened was the darkness that tightened her throat even more. In the end, she had to be content with her barely creating a shield that she could hide from herself. Celine trembled as she crouched her body. One time, she may lose her grip on Ringzor. ¡®¡­Then, I¡¯ll be swallowed up as well.¡¯ If that were the case, she would really have nothing to depend on except for someone from outside to rescue her. ¡®Would Leonhard come?¡¯ Celine bit her lip. It was a stupid idea. How would he know where she was? It would be better to expect the wizards upstairs to rescue her. As she closed her eyes tightly, the image of Leonhard in the hotel leaning against the wall and looking at her came to mind. ¡®Ah, movement magic¡­!¡¯ She didn¡¯t understand why this thought came to her now. Celine quickly took out the magic stone that Rose had given her, but nothing happened. ¡°Ah¡­¡± A moan of pain escaped Celine¡¯s mouth. As she cooled her heated head for a moment, thinking about it, it was only natural that she couldn¡¯t use movement magic. The only thing she could use now was killing magic using Ringzor as a medium. The protective shield that she now wrapped around herself was also just an application of killing magic. Celine lowered her head, feeling despair equivalent to the darkness that was stalking her beyond the protective shield. ¡°What are you talking about?¡± Leonhard couldn¡¯t believe his ears. ¡°There are your colleagues down here¡­!¡± ¡°Lord Leonhard, would you like the entire empire to perish?¡± ¡°¡­You can¡¯t fix it, so you¡¯re going to bury them alive?¡± He did not hide his sarcasm. ¡°Have you tried to save them?¡± ¡°¡­.¡± Only silence came. Leonhard did not question them further. Arguing was a waste. ¡°Celine Hunt. Did she come here? Where is she now? Did she ever come back?¡± ¡°¡­.¡± Likewise, only silence came. He glared at the wizards who were avoiding each other, feeling like he was going to prey on them. ¡°I guess you don¡¯t know. So, where is Lute Rose? She is your colleague, so of course, you know.¡± ¡°¡­.¡± ¡°Tell me right now. It is an order.¡± Saying so, he pulled out Rashir. Although these wizards are numerous, they would not be able to compete with him. He then aimed his Rashir at Lute Garcia¡¯s chest. ¡°Tell me.¡± Lute Garcia let out a bitter sigh. ¡°Lute Rose went underground¡­ with Lute Celine.¡± Leonhard gritted his teeth. Even though he was not surprised because he had expected it a little while ago, only despair and anger remained in the place where the hope had died down. At the same time, his hand that held Rashir became stronger as he chewed up every word and spat it out. ¡°Guide me down the basement.¡± ¡°It¡¯s closed.¡± Lute Garcia repeated the same words like a parrot, and then he added a few words. ¡°Is it because of the curse? I know it has already been solved.¡± Leonhard¡¯s face flushed with anger. ¡°Guide me if you don¡¯t want to die!¡± ¡°Are you trying to kill us?¡± A fishy smile appeared on Lute Garcia¡¯s lips. ¡°I am amazed that you have such guts.¡± Instead of answering, Leonhard slammed the floor with his Rashir. The floor cracked into pieces with a loud rupture. Through the gap, she could see the stairs going down to the basement. ¡°Stop¡­!¡± At the same time as Lute Garcia shouted, dozens of wizards rushed at him at the same time. Leonhard gritted his teeth. ¡®I don¡¯t have time¡­!¡¯ He didn¡¯t know what happened below, but it wouldn¡¯t be an ordinary accident if it completely withered away the living mana stones. He thought that Celine might be suffering for every minute and every second he wasted here, that the knuckles that held Rashir turned white. However, the fact that he couldn¡¯t cut down these wizards like monsters made his stomach burn even more. As Leonhard gritted his teeth, water, fire, light, earth¡­ magic of various attributes covered him. The wizards poured their magic with all their might until they couldn¡¯t see him properly. Not a single person hesitated or lowered the strength of their magic at the thought of not killing Leonhardt, even by mistake. All of them had an intuition that if they didn¡¯t take full force, it would be them who would suffer. After a few minutes. There were no thoughts left in Leonhard¡¯s head except for one thing, Celine¡¯s safety. He mechanically destroyed the magic flying towards him and clung to the wizards. ¡°Hiiiickk¡­!¡± A few screamed in astonishment. Leonhard focused his attention on a few wizards with particularly strong firepower. Immediately a strong wind blew them back. ¡®This should have been enough.¡¯ He gasped for breath and made eye contact with each one who was still standing on their two legs. All were no less exhausted than him or had one or two broken limbs from the wind. Seeing that, he slowly turned his back and jumped through the cracks in the floor. Dozens of eyes pierced his back. Leonhard ran down the stairs without stopping. ¡®Celine, Celine, Celine¡­¡¯ He tried to ignore the possibility that Celine was dead, which kept popping up in his mind. Celine was in danger down there. She was the only thing that mattered to him. Eventually, he reached the end of the underground stairs, and he stopped in front of a huge door. ¡°¡­.?¡± The door was firmly locked with dozens of barriers that apparently had just been created. A cold realization soon overtook him. This was truly a live burial¡­ A live burial that did not attempt to save everyone beyond this door. Leonhard lifted Rashir. ¡ªChaeng! ¡ªChaeng! ¡ªChaeng! By the time his body was drenched in sweat, all barriers were broken. Contrary to him recklessly breaking the barrier a moment ago, he cautiously placed both hands on the door. ¡°¡­Damn it!¡± A curse came out of Leonhard¡¯s mouth. This door was designed so that only wizards belonging to the imperial family could open it, either inside or outside. He could feel the sharp taste of blood in his mouth. If everyone except Celine were killed, she would never come out. Leonhard began to run up his steps with his heart racing with fear. Those cowardly wizards up there¡­ they would never open that door even if it meant dying to him. He could feel his fingernails digging into his calloused palms. Leonhard gritted his teeth. He had to do everything he could. ¡°¡­Please open it. I¡¯ll give it my life to take care of what is behind that door.¡± Leonhard respectfully bowed his head towards all the wizards gathered upstairs. ¡°You, too¡­ don¡¯t you have colleagues and friends behind you? Please, anyone is free to do so, so please open it.¡± He did not offer any advantage, let alone riches. After all, the wizard belonging to the Imperial Family already had enough wealth and status for them, so the only thing he could rely on was sympathy. ¡°Lord Leonhard.¡± Lute Garcia opened his mouth slowly. ¡°We do not want you to give your life, so I can¡¯t open it anymore.¡± ¡°¡­What is that behind the door¡ª!¡± ¡°Your history.¡± As his mouth fell open, Lute Garc¨ªa continued to speak with difficulty. ¡°What¡¯s down there is the core of all the boss monsters you¡¯ve sent to the Imperial Family so far.¡± __ Chapter 79 Chapter 79 Leonhard¡¯s head went blank for a moment and began to swell with heat. ¡°What did you do?¡± Many wizards flinched at the angry voice. ¡°The core of the boss monsters is an ensemble of pure magical power. It is the most powerful power source of all.¡± ¡°I didn¡¯t ask for that. I¡¯ve been sending it all this time, trusting that you¡¯re handling it with thorough care¡­¡± Leonhard clenched his fists. If he hadn¡¯t been in a situation where he had to lay low, he would have already shouted. In the meantime, all the cores of the boss monsters were sent to the imperial family, with only a few exceptions. It was possible to bring a significant number of them to the north, but he believed that they would be more useful in the imperial family. ¡®¡­There will be no reason for me to send the cores here in the future.¡¯ He gritted his teeth. Now was not the time to interrogate them. He had to somehow persuade them to open the great door down there. ¡°Please open the door. I will not ask for any responsibility.¡± ¡°¡­I¡¯m sorry, Lord Leonhard.¡± Silence passed. Leonhard and the wizards stood still without moving. Even though several methods came into his mind, none of them seemed to solve the situation. ¡ªBang! At the same time as the entire building shook, a huge explosion was heard from the basement. Instead of standing stiffly like Leonhard, the wizards began to run outside all at once, stumbling and rolling. Dark despair filled his heart. The next moment, the wizards were running away, abandoning their colleagues for their own comfort. They even refused to go down underground, saying that Leonhard should not die. He was not naive enough to not know their hidden true intentions. When he died, the duty to subdue the warlock would fall to them. ¡®Bastards.¡¯ Leonhard glared at each and every one of them running outside. Due to the extremely shaking floor, the process of the wizards escaping the building was a scene of mayhem itself. Finally, all the wizards left the building, and only he was left there. No, it should have been. ¡®¡­.?¡¯ He blinked. It wasn¡¯t a fantasy. Only one person remained at the door, watching him. He was a sorcerer who looked to be in his forties. However, considering that wizards usually look younger than their age, they must have been over fifty. ¡°Why are you not going?¡± Now that there was no reason to please the wizards, Leonhard¡¯s voice clearly showed a hint of ridicule. Seeing that he hesitated at the door, he seemed to have been left to apologize for his petty conscience. However, the wizard let out a hoarse voice. ¡°¡­My daughter.¡± ¡°I see.¡± Leonhard nodded lowly. No further explanation was needed. As he pointed down with Rashir, the wizard nodded his head. The building vibrated more and more as time went on, but the two of them ran down at high speed, not caring. After a while. The two of them stood in front of a huge door leading to the basement. The moment the wizard approached the door, Leonhard asked a question that suddenly came to mind. ¡°What is your daughter¡¯s name?¡± ¡°Rose.¡± At the same time, the door opened. Leonhard frowned. ¡®Cowards.¡¯ Even though the vibrations still resonated strongly, he didn¡¯t feel any evil or dangerous energy in the dark space in front of me. They lit up the underground space with light. ¡°¡­.!¡± Leonhard¡¯s heart beat painfully in his ribs. It was because all he could see was people drooping everywhere. He then hurriedly checked the pulses of the people who had collapsed by the doorway. ¡®¡­They¡¯re alive.¡¯ Eventually, he let out a sigh of relief. They were only unconscious but did not appear to be in any mortal danger. While he walked quickly and examined the people who had fallen on the floor, Celine was nowhere to be seen. Cold sweat ran down his chin. ¡°Stop!¡± As the wizard¡¯s urgent voice came from behind, Leonhard frowned but stopped as he said. At that moment, darkness engulfed them all. Celine had no idea how long she had been curled up in the dark, holding her breath. It felt like a very long time, but it probably didn¡¯t last long as she couldn¡¯t keep her shield up that long. ¡®I can¡¯t stay like this.¡¯ She vowed never to live again the life of aimlessly waiting for death. Even if she was rescued, what use would it be if she died several times in the meantime? ¡®Door¡­ I have to open it.¡¯ She staggered to her feet. It was impossible for her now to dispel this darkness itself, but she was at least able to move. Celine maintained her shield, and she moved her steps slowly. Her shield was also made of fire, so she could see right under her feet without stepping. ¡°Ack¡­¡± Celine groaned softly. It was already the sixth time she¡¯d fallen by bumping into people or rolling objects on the floor. Before she knew it, her body was full of wounds. Fortunately, as she walked, the dark aura that gripped her whole body seemed to weaken. Now, even with her shields down, Celine could breathe easily. It probably meant that she was going in the right direction. ¡ªBang! Goosebumps ran through her whole body. It was because the cave began to vibrate more violently with a huge rupture. Even though she built up her shield again with Ringzor, Celine paused as the vibrations only grew stronger and did not weaken. ¡®I have to go.¡¯ She gritted her teeth and moved slowly. After a while, after stepping over numerous people and things, nothing was visible beneath Celine¡¯s feet. ¡°¡­.?¡± She blinked her eyes, making Ringzor¡¯s light even stronger. However, there was only darkness in front of her. If she had been a little less exhausted, she would have known what that meant. ¡­But now, Celine only thought she had to move on. She stepped her foot into the darkness. ¡°Aaaaaagh!¡± At the same time, a scream that no one could hear rang out. Celine gasped for breath and let out screams. When the darkness shattered the shield as if they were laughing and crushed her, she wielded Ringzor as she struggled with one conviction that she couldn¡¯t die. In an instant, the force of darkness softened just a little. ¡®¡­It works. It works!¡¯ Her hope shimmered. Celine swung Ringzor while reciting ¡®it works¡¯ like an incantation inside her. She hadn¡¯t done the stupid thing like ignorantly pouring all her magic as she had a moment ago. With no information given to her, she did her best to find out the weakness of this energy. Ten minutes after, she fell into the trap. Just seconds before Rose¡¯s father opened the door, she succeeded in overpowering the darkness. At least temporarily. ¡°Lute!¡± Leonhard called out loudly and clearly to the wizard, but no answer came. ¡®Did it work?¡¯ He had experienced the magic that blocked her senses a few times. Leonhard closed his eyes and took out Rashir to analyze the flow of magic around him. ¡®¡­.?¡¯ It was obviously unfamiliar, but it wasn¡¯t as powerful as he thought. He moved Rashir slowly and carefully, like a delicate sculptor, breaking through the darkness around him, and his surroundings were illuminated by the light emitted by Rashir. Soon, he began to slowly remove the darkness around him one by one, starting from where he stood. It wasn¡¯t a difficult task because the vibration stopped before he knew it, but his heart beat like crazy every time he saw the fallen people one by one. After a while, he removed most of the darkness inside the huge cave. Rose¡¯s father, upon finding his daughter, turned white and refused to leave her side. Fully understanding his feelings, Leonhard left the father and daughter alone. He glared at the darkness that seemed to cover only one person. ¡®¡­Is it only over there?¡¯ In fact, he passed by it a long time ago, but for some reason, he felt ominous and postponed destroying it, so it remained until the end. Leonhard took a deep breath and began slowly cutting through the darkness with Rashir. He was more careful than ever, fearing that he would cut down even a little of the person behind the darkness. ¡°¡­.?¡± Suddenly, darkness the size of a whole arm¡¯s width shuddered in his arms. ¡°Celine!¡± Leonhard spat out the name that burned inside. ¡°Celine! Are you there?¡± The darkness shook more and more violently and, finally, began to swallow even the objects around it. Even though he tried to block the growing darkness with Rashir, there was a limit to controlling the flow of magical power that instantly intensified. Leonhard closed his eyes tightly. ¡®Celine must be in there.¡¯ There was only one way for this to happen. ¡­To be swallowed together in the dark. As he put Rashir into the scabbard, Leonhard felt the cool aura of darkness approaching his nose. ¡ªBang! Hearing a rupture that seemed to tear his eardrums, he blinked his eyes. He did nothing. Even so, the darkness that had troubled him a little while ago had completely disappeared. There was only Celine sitting on the floor, gasping for breath. ¡°Celine¡­!¡± Leonhard immediately knelt on the floor and hugged Celine. Her whole body, drenched in a cold sweat, made it possible to guess how much she had suffered. He tightened his arms around Celine. ¡°Are you okay? Please, say something.¡± Celine¡¯s head was confused. She had finally won the battle against the darkness. Exhausted, she could only lie on the floor and fall asleep, but before she knew it, she was in Leonhard¡¯s arms. ¡®¡­Am I dreaming already?¡¯ However, Leonhard¡¯s desperate voice felt too vivid to be a dream. Her heart also ached at the despair and pain contained within. ¡®I¡¯m just checking.¡¯ As she thought so, Celine slowly raised her head. Her gaze met Leonhard. At that moment, there were no thoughts other than each other in their heads. To her, he felt like everything in the world, just as Celine to Leonhard. As her bloodless lips opened slowly, Leonhard watched the small movement, possessed. ¡°Leonhard¡­¡± He never even heard his full name. Celine¡¯s body in his arms exploded, and red blood covered him. At the same time, a vast swamp bathed in the dim moonlight spread out in front of Leonhardt¡¯s eyes. ¡°Celine¡­!¡± A beastly cry echoed throughout the swamp. __ Chapter 80 Chapter 80 Leonhard knelt down, dripping with fresh blood. He obviously tried to find some of Celine, who had been held in his arms a while ago, but all that was left of her was red blood. ¡°Celine¡­¡± He muttered in a hoarse voice a name he had already called several times. Still, he found no answer. At the same time, he found no trace of the laboratory, and the vast swamp was silent. This was too much. However, Leonhard did not notice the strangeness around him as the fact that Celine was dead blinded him and bound his limbs. ¡®¡­It¡¯s my fault.¡¯ If he hadn¡¯t told her to break the crystal ball, she wouldn¡¯t have died. However, he pushed the troubled Celine to break the crystal ball. As a result, she was shattered instead of the crystal ball. Leonhard gritted his teeth. Celine¡¯s figure, who was contemplating while holding the crystal ball, came to mind clearly¡­ what did he say then? ¡ªCan¡¯t you value your life? It was his fault that Celine died. The taste of the pungent blood was in his mouth. In the end, it was all his own fault. In the first place, Celine came here to get the help she couldn¡¯t get from him. ¡®¡­I was completely wrong.¡¯ He was wrong when he let her get help from someone other than him. ¡®Never again¡­ will she leave me.¡¯ A strange impulse seized him. If he were to see her again, he would have the urge to squeeze her slender hand and never let go again¡­ As he thought that, Leonhard put his hands on the ground and stood up slowly. It wasn¡¯t the time for him to be like this. Celine must have come to life by now and was suffering from the visions. It may be why she couldn¡¯t respond to his cries. ¡°¡­.?¡± Leonhard¡¯s face contorted. Not even the wizards were visible at all, let alone the laboratory. There was only a vast expanse of swamps, larger than any swamp he had ever seen. Unlike ordinary swamps full of flora and fauna, it was a swamp full of black mud. He stepped into the swamp but took a step back in surprise at the mud that was sucking him up so hard that it was ready to absorb him. He called Celine¡¯s name in a slow, clear voice. ¡°Celine!¡± There was still no answer. Leonhard closed his eyes and cleared the situation for a moment. Celine would have resurrected not too far from him. However, all he saw in front of her was a swamp. Even if he called her name, he couldn¡¯t even hear her groans in the quiet environment, where he could hear his own breathing. His mind drew a grim conclusion. She must have sunk somewhere in this swamp¡­ couldn¡¯t get out without the help of others and repeated her death over and over again. ¡®I have to find her¡­!¡¯ Leonhard jumped into the swamp like a madman. In an instant, his lower body was buried in mud with strong adsorption, and he made a small path while swinging Rashir in that state. ¡®¡­.?¡¯ Suddenly, a big wave came up in the mud, and like a wave running up against a sandy beach, he was beaten to the shore. Leonhard jumped into the swamp again. The response from the swamp this time was even stronger. As soon as he put his foot in, he was slammed straight into the shore. He had tried more than ten times before he realized that he could not set foot in this swamp. Despair gripped him and it wouldn¡¯t let go. In the midst of this, Celine would be dying¡­ no, she must¡¯ve already died and revived multiple times. ¡®¡­Let¡¯s stay calm.¡¯ Taking a deep breath, he held his breath for a moment. He had to put away thoughts that were not helpful, wasn¡¯t he already wasting his time stupidly in a panic? He had to somehow come to his senses and rescue Celine. As Leonhard stuck Rashir into the mud with his feet firmly planted on the shore, blue flames sprang from Rashir like a fountain. ¡®It works¡­¡¯ The mud stirred up a lot, but unlike when Leonhard put his body into the mud, it didn¡¯t throw Rashre out. Leonhard closed his eyes tightly. The blood on his face had long since been washed away with sweat. After tens of minutes. His hands trembled and his legs were already weak, and he knelt on the shore, but he did not relax. At first, the strength of the mud, which was powerless against Rashir, grew stronger and stronger. If his concentration were distracted for a moment, all of this would be in vain. Still, Leonhard was also human, after all. He ended up coming to a limit to face an opponent he had never faced before. ¡®Just a little more, a little more¡­¡¯ He gritted his teeth even harder and muttered inwardly. Here, he was sustained by the thought that if he collapsed, he might never see Celine again. ¡°¡­Celine.¡± Leonhard muttered Celine¡¯s name out of his mouth. Like a spell had been cast, a slender woman with radiant blond hair and ever-changing blue-grey eyes appeared clearly in his mind. At that moment, strength went into his hands, who had already lost all his strength. The mud throbbed like it did when Rashir was first impaled, then lost its strength. ¡®¡­It¡¯s done.¡¯ He had a hunch. The swamp in front of him did not change at all outwardly, but he knew he had won. When he stood up slowly and stepped into the swamp, his feet sank into plain mud, where he felt no strength. Leonhard began to cut the mud in front of his eyes with Rashir. He hoped to find Celine as soon as possible. Celine couldn¡¯t scream. Even when she screamed, her mouth, vocal cords, and lungs to scream with were torn to shreds in an instant. If that didn¡¯t happen, she would have let out endless screams of pain more intense than any death. When she came back to life, Celine found herself shedding tears as she sat in pitch darkness. ¡®It hurts, it hurts¡­¡¯ She had no time to think about where she was or why she had died, for she was overcome by an illusion of reliving her death, which she had just suffered. After dozens of minutes just writhing on the floor, Celine lay idly on the floor for a while, even after the illusions had gone. She was exhausted and didn¡¯t want to lift one finger. Suddenly, a familiar name popped into his mind. ¡®¡­It¡¯s so hard for me to go through the illusions without Leonhard.¡¯ The corners of her eyes reddened. She just wanted to see him. Leonhard, whom she seemed to have glimpsed just before her death, must be an illusion created by her head. ¡®I don¡¯t know what I¡¯m doing¡­¡¯ Maybe Leonhard was still staying at the hotel. Celine slowly raised her body. This was not a situation where she could lean on anyone. If she wanted to see him again, she had to move herself. Fortunately, she felt that this darkness was ordinary darkness so she lit a light with a little gesture. It seemed that she was in a narrow passageway. ¡®That¡¯s the entrance.¡¯ Even though she couldn¡¯t see the light, she could feel the cool air. Celine made her way to the entrance, barely moving her legs that kept collapsing. After a while, as soon as she left the entrance, her blue-gray eyes opened wide. ¡®A swamp¡­¡¯ Celine collapsed onto the floor. The swamp, which looked as vast as the sea, stretched endlessly. It was the beginning of the stage. If things had been just a little bit better, she would have been delighted because the wait was finally over. However, Celine knew all too well that she was no longer in just a game. ¡®The wizards, Rose¡­¡­.¡¯ Her lips trembled. The sudden death after she fought the darkness and won, and a swamp that suddenly appeared instead of Flua¡­ she would have known if she had been forced to move. Still, she only got out of a small underground passage that was created as if to protect her. Then, it would be said that this place was near Flua. Celine involuntarily looked up at the sky. ¡®Ah¡­¡¯ The Milky Way, which seemed to pour over her head at any moment, refracted once on the glass, shining its light. Her eyes reddened, having already shed so many tears that her tear ducts were drying up. This was a beautiful flower garden. Celine called out loudly to Rose, but there was no answer, understandably. As hot tears dripped down to her feet, she hastily wiped the tears with the back of her hand. ¡®¡­I¡¯ve cried enough.¡¯ She slowly approached the swamp. All she could do now was clear this stage. Suddenly, extreme loneliness overtook her. Celine¡¯s body trembled once, and when she realized the cause, she smiled bitterly. Before she knew it, whenever she cleared her stage, she took it for granted as she was with Leonhard. ¡®¡­Let¡¯s get ourselves together.¡¯ She wet her bruised lips with her tongue. She could clear the stage well enough by herself. Rather, when she got too much help from Leonhard, she was recognized as cheating and she was not rewarded. Thinking so, Celine gulped and stepped into the dark mud. ¡°¡­.?¡± Blinking her eyes, she vaguely remembered what the swamp was like in the game. Players had to fight their way through the mud. But this mud, though deep, felt no threat. Rather, it was as easy as water when passed through. ¡®What¡­?¡¯ Maybe because it was the true ending route, the stage might have changed a lot. Celine gripped Ringzor tightly and moved forward cautiously. Since it was a true ending route, if the stage had been changed, it would have been much more difficult. ¡°¡­.?¡± Though the more she struggled through the mud, the more she became bewildered. Obviously, she didn¡¯t feel a single attack the player received on this stage. For an instant, her body stiffened. It was because she found traces of familiar magic in the mud¡­ traces of offensive magic that never belonged to wizards. To her knowledge, there was only one person in this empire who could use such offensive magic. Leonhard¡¯s whole body, which had been stained red with Celine¡¯s blood, became muddy before he knew it, but he continued to clear the mud without getting tired. It took quite a while because he removed all the mud one by one rather than making a straight path. ¡°Gasp¡­¡± Even Leonhard was tired. He sat down on the floor for a moment. By now, dawn was breaking. ¡®The night¡­ is over.¡¯ His chest tightened. ¡­Tonight, he would pay the price for not protecting Celine. ¡ªClink! Suddenly, Rashir fell from his hand. In the distance, someone was creeping up through the mud in his direction. Her blonde hair glistened in the morning sun. __ Chapter 81 Chapter 81 Leonhard stared blankly at Celine, who was approaching him. His body stiffened like a piece of wood, and he couldn¡¯t move. When they finally came into each other¡¯s sight, her voice rang clear in the early morning air. ¡°Leonhard!¡± ¡°¡­.¡± He couldn¡¯t answer. His throat was so tight that he couldn¡¯t even get her name out of his mouth. All he could do was follow Celine¡¯s figure with his eyes like she would disappear if he took his eyes off her even for a moment. Even though her body was covered in mud and blood, her hair glistened in the sun, and her cheeks were rosy. Leonhard muttered the name to himself. ¡®Celine¡­¡¯ He felt something warm on his cheek. At that moment, he suddenly realized¡­ that this sorrowful feeling that now fills up in his heart was the kind that he should not dare to harbor. Leonhard stood still, unable to move as Celine waded through all the mud until she reached in front of him. He gazed down at her with blurred vision. There were so many things he wanted to say. Was she okay? He was worried. He missed her. He thought he¡¯d go crazy if he hadn¡¯t found her¡­ no, he would have really gone crazy¡­ Nonetheless, he couldn¡¯t get any of it out of his mouth. Celine¡¯s steps through the mud quickened as soon as she spotted Leonhard. ¡®As expected, it was Leonhard.¡¯ There was no mud around him. The traces of the magical power she found in the mud must have been traces of him fighting the mud instead of her. ¡®Then, it must not have been a dream¡­¡¯ Celine recalled Leonhard¡¯s face that she had seen just before she died. Even though she was obviously exhausted, she got a new energy from somewhere, and she was able to keep pushing through the mud. Finally, she arrived in front of him. Leonhard was covered in mud and her blood, but he didn¡¯t look injured. She called him. Even though she felt like she was going to burst into tears at any moment, strangely, the tears didn¡¯t come out. ¡°Leonhard.¡± ¡°¡­.¡± He said nothing, gazing down at her with reddened eyes as his pale blue lips quivered. Suddenly, Celine was seized by the urge to hug him tightly. ¡°¡­.!¡± His body, which had been rigid like a piece of wood, stiffened even more. She was holding him as tightly as she could. Leonhard hugged Celine, ignoring the reasoning in his head. It was the last struggle of his mind to refrain from hugging her in a crushing force and to place his hand on her as softly as if handling a precious glass artifact. ¡°I¡¯m sorry.¡± ¡°¡­.?¡± ¡°Tonight¡­¡± As she let her words trail off, he glanced down at Celine, feeling something tingle in his throat. He had never seen her look so desperate lately. Wasn¡¯t she leaning her body against him as if standing still was the limit for her now? Compared to what she had to go through yesterday, he was only having nightmares for one night. ¡°Don¡¯t mind it.¡± His voice was hoarse. ¡°Because it¡¯s just a dream¡­ a nightmare. It¡¯s over if I make it through the night.¡± ¡°¡­I thought it was a dream.¡± ¡°¡­.?¡± ¡°I assumed that Leonhard would be at the hotel¡­ I thought it was a hallucination.¡± ¡°You called my name.¡± ¡°Even in my dreams, I was happy to see Leonhard.¡± When a small smile appeared on Celine¡¯s face, Leonhard¡¯s heart began to vibrate violently. ¡­He couldn¡¯t help but love this woman. Moments later, Celine went away from Leonhard. She stared blankly at the empty swamp where he had cleared the mud. ¡°The other wizards¡­¡± ¡°They¡¯re alive.¡± He quickly cut off Celine, not wanting her to trouble her mind over trivial matters. ¡°Maybe everyone has woken up now, I can feel the magic getting stronger. It doesn¡¯t look like much, so don¡¯t worry.¡± As Celine closed her eyes for a moment and concentrated, Leonhard was right. The refined magic unique to wizards was felt everywhere. ¡°We¡¯ll just have to let them clean these up, too. It looks like normal mud.¡± ¡°About Rose¡­¡± ¡°You mean the wizard?¡± Leonhardt frowned. He didn¡¯t like that Celine cared so much about a wizard she¡¯d only known for a day. Still, he didn¡¯t show it. ¡°All right. After we meet, let¡¯s go back to the hotel right away. This place¡­ I¡¯m sick of it.¡± Celine nodded and walked with him towards the shore from which he might have started. The mud had been completely cleared, and walking was easy, but it was not an easy task for her, who was terribly exhausted. Leonhard glanced down at her, who was walking half-clinging to him. Even though he had a sudden urge to hug her so she could rest, he managed to suppress it. ¡®¡­.¡¯ He gulped. The warlock¡¯s curse, that he had ignored without much thought, came out from the other side of his memory and attacked him like a ghost. Leonhard closed his eyes, trying to ignore the emotions that began to simmer in his chest and took over his whole body. All he could do right now was to let Celine do what she wanted. Celine stood on the shore of the swamp, collapsing. If she cleared it normally, a small reward would have greeted her. But because the cheat key named Leonhard got involved, she opened the wooden box rolling in front of her eyes without much inspiration. As expected, there was nothing. She set the wooden box randomly at her feet and looked around. In the middle of a field of flowers, most of which have rotted away, a few flowers with still vivid petals glistened in the sunlight. Celine approached them as if possessed. ¡ªRumble, bang! As the ground unexpectedly shook violently, she fell to her knees in a moment of surprise, and Leonhard quickly held her. ¡°¡­.!¡± The ground started cracking apart, and through the cracks, wizards crawled out one by one. Tears filled Celine¡¯s eyes again. ¡°Didn¡¯t I tell you? They are all alive.¡± After a violent encounter with Rose, who was with her father, Celine and Leonhard returned to the hotel with movement magic. Celine sat down on the carpet made of expensive sea fox fur, covered in mud, and jumped up in a panic. ¡°Sit still. If anything, you can lie down.¡± ¡°Leonhard!¡± Leonhard smiled and sat down next to her. He spoke to her slowly, not looking at Celine. ¡°If I knew it would end like this, I would never have let you go.¡± ¡°¡­.¡± ¡°Celine. Can I ask you a favor?¡± ¡°¡­Favor?¡± ¡°Please, don¡¯t leave my side in the future.¡± ¡°¡­.¡± She was silent. However, he did not order her. Leonhard just begged her desperately. Still, the answer was fixed. The answer Celine couldn¡¯t bear to say came out of his mouth. ¡°¡­I¡¯m sorry.¡± ¡°What?¡± ¡°Because I asked a question that is difficult to answer.¡± Leonhard answered and inadvertently leaned towards her, then pulled her back in a startling motion. Seeing that, Celine half-grabbed him, who was trying to avoid her gaze, as she gazed him straight in the eyes. ¡°Leonhard, I promise you one thing. I will try to live¡­ by all means, I will try.¡± ¡°¡­.!¡± He gazed in half wonder at the blue-gray eyes, unmoving even though she had suffered a terrible death the very previous night. ¡°¡­Thank you.¡± Celine smiled softly. ¡°There is nothing to be sorry about, nothing to be thankful for. Rather, I am sorry and thankful. Always.¡± Even though he wanted to return those words to her, he was aware enough to stay still. Celine sighed and looked down at the carpet, which was soiled all over. ¡°I¡¯m going to fall asleep like this¡­ I need to wash up.¡± In an instant, Leonhard¡¯s face heated up. He stuttered in reply. ¡°Then, so be it.¡± Celine blinked her eyes. ¡®Why am I suddenly so shy?¡¯ She had said something similar to him the other day, but at that time, Leonhard showed no reaction. Didn¡¯t he come in even when she was bathing naked? ¡®At that time, I died, so I didn¡¯t seem to mind the shock¡­¡¯ However, Celine didn¡¯t have to question it, so she continued talking casually. ¡°Leonhard, too, wash up and get some rest.¡± ¡°¡­.¡± He did not answer. After a while, Celine immersed herself in the bathtub and enjoyed the warm water. Of course, she fell asleep while being careful that she wouldn¡¯t die. She sang her favorite songs to keep her awake. ¡®I have to get up soon.¡¯ Seeing her eyelids keep closing, it seemed that she would make Leonhard more difficult if she weren¡¯t careful. Soon, she quickly got out of the bathtub and climbed into the bed in a nightgown. It was still morning, so she was going to sleep well, and at night she intended to visit Leonhard. Leonhard let out a long sigh as he washed away the mud and blood clinging to his body with cold water. He felt pathetic of himself, embarrassed by Celine¡¯s casually tossed-out words without much thinking. ¡®¡­Let¡¯s get ourselves together.¡¯ He threw away a pile of expensive clothes that seemed to have no other end other than get thrown away. ¡­What the hell was this feeling? It wasn¡¯t the first time he was excited about a woman. Still, they were all passers-by, and he easily forgot them in one of his missions. Celine was different. If the curse could not be lifted by any chance, he was the one who would be responsible for the rest of her life, and even if he lifted it, she was someone who could stay in the north as a guest in the north forever. He had an intuition that even if Celine were to go forever out of his reach, he would never be able to forget her. As expected¡­ these emotions were different. He had never been seized with such intense longing. Even at this moment, he missed Celine so much, who was in the room next door, and he wanted to touch her hair to confirm that she was by his side. ¡°Ha!¡± Leonhard laughed loudly at himself. He couldn¡¯t believe that he couldn¡¯t control these urges. At this rate, he had to consciously avoid her. ¡°¡­.!¡± The sudden realization made his whole body tense. Of course, Celine would say that she would be with him tonight as well. A cold sweat formed on Leonhard¡¯s forehead. __ Chapter 82 Chapter 82 Unfortunately for Leonhard, night came quickly. He tried to get some sleep to conserve his stamina but failed. It was because when he closed his eyes, he remembered the afterimage of Celine being torn apart in his arms. ¡°¡­.¡± He had already stayed up all night, so now he would be staying up two nights. ¡®It¡¯s like¡­ the old times.¡¯ He laughed as he recalled that he once was not able to sleep for over a month due to nightmares before Leonhard went to find Celine. ¡®It¡¯s been like that for over a month¡­ Two days is nothing.¡¯ Moreover, at that time, wasn¡¯t it a nightmare that he didn¡¯t even know why he was having it? He was able to endure it this time. The problem was Celine wouldn¡¯t accept that fact. Leonhard knew, at least in this matter, that she would not back down from stubbornness. ¡®¡­She¡¯ll forcefully push herself in.¡¯ Things were different now. Celine wouldn¡¯t go back even if he went away or locked the door. If he left the hotel, she would come after him, and even if he locked the door¡­ ¡®She¡¯ll break it.¡¯ Leonhard sighed. Perhaps Celine didn¡¯t understand why he rejected her out of the blue. Because by now, he¡¯d been using her so well. ¡®¡­She wasn¡¯t receptive in the first place.¡¯ He didn¡¯t know her very well when Celine first told her that she would pass the night with him. While he only thought she was a warlock, she was actually a woman who was under an unfortunate curse¡­ that simple fact was all he knew of her. Leonhardt closed his eyes tightly. When he first got separated from Celine, he remembered the ugliness he had shown her after she came back. ¡®Even in the South¡­ Ah.¡¯ Heat rose again on his face. By now, it¡¯d been three months since he met Celine Hunt. It was only then that Leonhard Bernoulli recognized how his actions would be seen by others. ¡®What have you been up to, Leonhardt Bernoulli¡­¡¯ Maybe others already thought she was his woman. As he thought so, Leonhard pressed his forehead with his rough right hand. ¡®Such nonsense¡­¡¯ This was a matter that had a lot to do with Celine¡¯s future. Now, because of the curse, she wouldn¡¯t even dare to do that, but one day she too would want to marry another man. It was clear that trouble would arise if rumors spread that he was the woman of Leonhard Bernoulli. Leonhard gulped. It was only natural that Celine hadn¡¯t noticed this all along since she grew up with a bizarre lack of proper education from her childhood. Still, she should have noticed. ¡®Ah¡­¡¯ He groaned inside. It had never been so strange that the servants in his residence looked at it meaningfully whenever she spent her time with him. What about the reaction of the Baron¡¯s maid in the south? The Crown Prince¡¯s ridicule over his relationship with Celine no longer felt like a mere check. ¡®If I go back to the north, I¡¯ll have to deal with it properly.¡¯ Leonhard muttered, unable to think of the right way as he buried his face in his rough hands. He had never built such a close relationship with anyone before. So, he missed the obvious signs. ¡®How should I explain¡­¡¯ He knew Celine quite well. He was sure she¡¯d say it wouldn¡¯t matter. Leonhard gulped. He¡¯d better get some sleep now, but the more he went on, the more his mind became distraught. ¡®¡­Let¡¯s talk about it now.¡¯ Thinking so, he rose slowly from the bed. If he waited until night, he wouldn¡¯t be able to overcome her reckless intrusion. He walked over to Celine¡¯s bedroom and knocked on her door three times. No answer came. ¡®Is she sleeping¡­?¡¯ Leonhard opened the door, knowing now that he shouldn¡¯t. In front of him, Celine was sleeping, oblivious to the world, as she curled up on a huge bed. He couldn¡¯t stop his lips from curling. Washed clean of all blood and mud, she looked like a normal woman who hadn¡¯t gone through any of the hard and scary events she had been through. ¡®If the curse is lifted, that will be so.¡¯ He imagined her life when the curse was lifted. She, Celine, a noble sorceress and the northern guest, living a comfortable and prosperous life and building a happy family¡­ ¡®¡­.¡¯ Obviously, just thinking about it made him smile and he should have been happy. Still, he felt his mood gradually sink. He wasn¡¯t stupid enough not to know why. ¡®¡­What are you thinking? You stupid man.¡¯ Leonhard laughed bitterly. The person who would capture Celine¡¯s heart and be with her all her life would never be him. He himself, one day, as the lord of the North, would bless her children and grandchildren. He stared down at Celine, who was fast asleep. ¡®¡­Rather, it would have been better if I had died.¡¯ He frowned at the sudden thought. This wasn¡¯t the first time this thought had occurred to him. Nonetheless, he dismissed these thoughts as impulses for no reason. Because Leonhard Bernoulli should never die. Before his life ended, he had to cut down just one more warlock and monster¡­ However, in front of Celine, that obvious fact felt like a meaningless fantasy. Where his own absence made it feel like nothing in front of her, no matter how many people lost their lives at the hands of the warlock. Leonhard gulped again. All these thoughts were thoughts he should not have dared to have, and he had only recently found the source of these thoughts. ¡°Um¡­¡± Leonhard, startled by Celine¡¯s drowsy talk, stepped back, tripping on the chair and falling back. ¡°Leonhard?¡± Celine, who had just woken up from her slumber, called him with a startled face. ¡°Did something happen? ¡°¡­No.¡± ¡°You came into my room without something happening?¡± Leonhard sighed inside. Celine had an overly sharp side. ¡°I will spend the night alone.¡± ¡°¡­.¡± Instead of answering him, Celine crossed her arms and glared at Leonhardt. ¡°Of course, I will be worried, but now I can survive on my own. First of all, I know you¡¯re safe¡­ It will be a little easier.¡± ¡°Leonhard, isn¡¯t it easy for me to say alright, send Leonhard out, and go to sleep peacefully?¡± ¡°But at night, things are different.¡± ¡°Yes.¡± Celine nodded her head. ¡°Are you going to lock the door? I¡¯ll break it, and Leonhard will have to pay for the repairs.¡± ¡°If I go out¡­¡± ¡°I will follow you to the end of the world.¡± Ironically, the more he listened to Celine¡¯s retort, the more his heart began to rise with a strange joy. Of course, it was subdued by his sane mind. Leonhard decided to present the reason why he only realized today to Celine. If he explained slowly, she would understand, no matter how uneducated she grew up. ¡°Celine, I¡¯m sorry to have to talk to you now¡­¡± Leonhard slightly turned his head away from Celine¡¯s staring gaze. ¡°We¡­ seem to be under unnecessary misunderstandings. I¡¯d rather not do anything that could cause such misunderstandings in the future. That¡¯s why I¡¯m going to endure tonight alone.¡± Her answer came out as soon as his words were finished. ¡°You thought I didn¡¯t know?¡± ¡°¡­What?¡± A word filled with amazement escaped from Leonhard¡¯s lips. Celine, in frustration, poured out rapid-fire words. ¡°Leonhard, do you remember the first time we went out on a mission? Ride the carriage bestowed by the Crown Prince.¡± ¡°How can I forget that day?¡± His voice was grievous. It was because it was the first day she died because of his own arrogance and weakness. ¡°Do you remember what I said back then in the carriage? Not when you come back, but when you go.¡± ¡°¡­.¡± Even though he tried to recall the memories of that day when only regrets remained, the moment she said did not come to mind. Celine chuckled. ¡°Leonhard said it, so if you listen to it, I¡¯m sure you will remember it. It was said that this carriage was to take women, so that was why the Crown Prince dropped it off.¡± ¡°¡­.¡± He was speechless. Celine was right. ¡°What have I¡­ done?¡± ¡°I know. What have you done?¡± Celine wholeheartedly agreed with him. She was so astounded that she could still remember Leonhard¡¯s expression at the time. ¡®It was a puzzled face as if asking what the problem was¡­ wait.¡¯ She frowned. All the while, Leonhard acted more insensitively than any man she knew. She even thought at one point that he was treating her as ¡®something cursed¡¯ rather than as an ordinary woman. Celine let out a sigh. ¡°And Leonhard, if you¡¯re going to argue with me about trivial things like that, you shouldn¡¯t come in when I¡¯m sleeping.¡± ¡°¡­.!¡± He looked as if the cat got his tongue. ¡°¡­Yes, that¡¯s right. I will leave now.¡± ¡°Wait.¡± She stopped Leonhard. ¡°Anyway, from now on, me and Leonhard¡­ you don¡¯t want us to be misunderstood as a lover?¡± Leonhard nodded his head vigorously enough to overdo it. ¡°Why?¡± ¡°¡­.?¡± ¡°That, that¡­¡± When he stuttered and couldn¡¯t answer properly, Celine smiled like she was having a lot of fun. ¡°Think about it. Leonhard said he had no intention of getting married. For the rest of your life.¡± ¡°Yes, that¡¯s right. But you¡­¡± ¡°I have no intention of getting married either.¡± Celine sighed. It would be different if she got out of this body and returned to reality, but she really had no intention of getting married in this world. What kind of modern person would want to give birth to a child in the middle ages? ¡°¡­.!¡± However, Leonhard, who couldn¡¯t even guess Celine¡¯s thoughts, was startled. ¡°Well, if being misunderstood like that is something you absolutely hate, I¡¯ll think about it¡­ but that¡¯s not it, right?¡± ¡°¡­.¡± He barely nodded his head instead of answering. Celine clapped her hands weakly. ¡°Then, that¡¯s it! We don¡¯t have to go to great lengths to put an end to misunderstandings that don¡¯t matter to all of us anyway.¡± ¡°¡­.¡± At those words, Leonhard opened and closed his mouth to retort. With his now confused head, he couldn¡¯t possibly refute Celine¡¯s words. The blue-gray eyes curved like half moons. ¡°Seeing that you¡¯ve come to say such nonsensical things, I can¡¯t seem to sleep. I¡¯m hungry right now¡­ Shall we have something to eat?¡± Leonhard nodded his head. If Celine had offered to jump out of the window right now, he would have complied. He felt it. ¡­Now he knew he couldn¡¯t possibly refuse her request. __ Chapter 83 Chapter 83 Celine stopped Leonhard from ringing the bell to call the attendant. ¡°I, I want to eat outside.¡± ¡°Is there anything you want to eat?¡± At the question, she answered without hesitation. ¡°I want to go to the best and most expensive restaurant in the imperial city.¡± ¡°¡­.?¡± Leonhard blinked. He had no memory of ever going to a restaurant in the Imperial Capital. Until the Grand Duke¡¯s family withdrew from the Imperial Capital, of course, he ate only the food of the family cook, and after that, he ate only the food of the Imperial Family. Sometimes, there were times when he entered a restaurant in front of him to fill his hungry stomach though he didn¡¯t care about the taste. So, obviously, he didn¡¯t know where the most expensive and best restaurant was. ¡°Even Leonhardt¡¯s favorite restaurant is fine. Of course, it will taste great.¡± ¡°¡­I¡¯m sorry. I don¡¯t know the Emperor¡¯s restaurant well.¡± ¡°Really?¡± Celine was a little surprised, but she smiled brightly and proposed. ¡°Then, how about going outside and walking around?¡± ¡°¡­Aren¡¯t you tired?¡± ¡°My body aches.¡± Leonhard frowned. If she said that her body was throbbing, it should be far from wanting to go out. Rather, relaxing in the hotel seemed better for Celine¡¯s body. ¡°Do you really want to go out?¡± She nodded her head. ¡°These days, Leonhard and I couldn¡¯t even rest, and we only went out to lift the curse. Or on a mission¡­ I want to get out of there for a bit.¡± Leonhard looked at Celine, who seemed still half drunk in her sleep. As she said, they hadn¡¯t taken a proper break in the past month. For him, who was accustomed to a repetitive life, only his existing duties were normal though she must have been tired of her recent harsh life. ¡°Let¡¯s go.¡± As Leonhard prepared to go outside, he tried to recall all the information he knew about Celine¡¯s preferences. ¡®She likes sweet food, soft clothes and rugs¡­ what else does she like?¡¯ He thought for several minutes, but nothing came to mind. It was only then that he realized that he knew very little about Celine. ¡®¡­.¡¯ It was natural. Because so far, he had been obsessed with solving Celine¡¯s curse and not caring about anything else. ¡®¡­What a fool I was.¡¯ A sigh escaped him. He felt sorry for her because he could not prepare even the things she would like on the day when Celine needed rest. He soon left the room, thinking that he should ask Celine about what she liked today. ¡®She¡¯s taking longer than expected.¡¯ Leonhard waited for Celine, sitting on the couch, avoiding the mud-stained carpet. She usually wore a cape over her active dress, so it didn¡¯t take long for her to get ready for the outing. After some time. ¡°Did you wait a long time?¡± Leonhard¡¯s eyes widened. It was because the woman in front of him was buried wide in a winter coat. It was winter attire she hadn¡¯t seen in a long time, as her recent attire had become fairly simple. Since she was released from the recoil of her inability to use her magic, her skill at handling magical powers has increased by leaps and bounds, so much so that she could envelop her body in the delicate heat of no longer having to wear an uncomfortable winter coat instead of a thick one. But for today, she was so exhausted that she wanted to borrow the power of her clothes. Celine smiled shyly. ¡°I want to take a break from magic for today.¡± Leonhard immediately became nervous. If she couldn¡¯t use her magic properly, her outings were like stepping into a trap full of dangers. ¡°Are you really going to be okay? If you want to change your mind, I¡¯ll talk to the manager¡­¡± She shook her head. ¡°If I want to use magic, I can use it as much as I like. I just want to rest for now.¡± ¡°That¡¯s a relief.¡± Eventually, they left the hotel together. It was an ordinary outing, but it felt quite special to Leonhard. This was the first time he and Celine had walked aimlessly through the Imperial Capital. ¡®¡­No, it¡¯s for Celine¡¯s mood change.¡¯ A smile crept across his lips. He was about to walk to the stable and stopped. ¡°Would you like to ride a horse?¡± ¡°Let¡¯s ride the carriage. Black needs a break, too.¡± Celine smiled and pulled Leonhard¡¯s hand. Not too long after, they arrived on the busiest street in the imperial city in a luxurious carriage called by the hotel manager. The downtown area on weekday mornings was quiet, and Leonhard and Celine walked leisurely through the streets. ¡®Come to think of it, I¡¯ve never seen the imperial capital properly before.¡¯ She glanced up at the antique buildings that could only appear in a movie set in 18th-century Europe. If she had been here just a few months ago, her eyes would have been wandering all around her. However, she had already seen numerous palaces and mansions, so she felt that the buildings here were ordinary. ¡®Everyone here has become¡­¡¯ She got a little depressed. To make matters worse, her legs trembled slightly, perhaps because she had gone out a little too forcefully. Celine, as usual, leaned her body against Leonhardt. ¡°¡­.!¡± However, Leonhard did not support her body by gently embracing her as he always did. Was he rather stiffly pushing her¡­? Celine gazed up at him in surprise. ¡°Leonhard, are you not feeling well?¡± ¡°¡­I think it would be better to refrain from actions that could be misunderstood.¡± Celine was astonished and tried to say that it didn¡¯t matter, but she remembered his reaction at the time as being bitter and shut her mouth. ¡°Alright.¡± Even though she tried to pretend she was okay, she was a little offended. ¡®Who wouldn¡¯t know that you want to be alone tonight?¡¯ She didn¡¯t believe Leonhard¡¯s words that he wanted to keep his distance was because he didn¡¯t want to be misunderstood needlessly. The Leonhard she knew was far from common sense. He wasn¡¯t the type to care about the public eye either. ¡®He obviously doesn¡¯t want me to be with him.¡¯ Celine bit her lip. He must have pushed her away just to be considerate of her. Though she thought about that and tried to understand him, she couldn¡¯t help but feel upset. Still, wasn¡¯t there a reason they left the street like this? She quickly changed the topic. ¡°What is Leonhard¡¯s favorite food?¡± ¡°¡­.¡± Leonhard began to think seriously. While he himself ate any food that tasted above a certain level, he didn¡¯t particularly like any of them. ¡°I don¡¯t think there is anything.¡± ¡°Really?¡± Celine was a little surprised. ¡°For food¡­ I thought your taste buds were picky. And when it comes to meat, the speed at which you eat is different.¡± ¡°¡­Is that so?¡± ¡°Besides, you hate unusual tastes. You never eat unless you have to.¡± Every word she said was something he had never been conscious of. However, when he heard it, there was nothing wrong with it. ¡°I guess so.¡± ¡°Then, shall we go eat meat?¡± ¡°No.¡± Leonhard shook his head. ¡°Go eat what you like.¡± ¡°We can eat meat for lunch and something sweet for dessert, right?¡± He remembered that the fine dining district was quite far from the street they were standing on. Unfortunately, she was completely exhausted just a step before entering the street. ¡°Should we take some rest?¡± Seeing that, he flinched at Celine, who was staring at him in anticipation this time as well. ¡°Yes, that would be nice.¡± Fortunately, there were benches all over the street where the two could rest sufficiently, so they were able to avoid the unfortunate accident of sitting on the street. However, only Celine sat, and Leonhard stared at her blankly. Although she patted the side with her hand, he did not sit down. Instead of asking him why he didn¡¯t sit down, Celine muttered as she lowered her gaze. ¡°I want Leonhard to sit¡­¡± ¡°Who said no? I just looked around for a second.¡± Finishing his words, Leonhard immediately sat cautiously beside her as she smiled. In this world, the only person she could really trust and rely on was him. Others were acquaintances made through her status as a guest in the North or her ability as a wizard. However, Leonhard tracked down her curse with her even after she could no longer use magic. The sudden anxiety overtook her Celine. ¡®If I can¡¯t go back even if I¡¯ve seen the true ending¡­ will Leonhard be by my side even then?¡¯ She shook her head lightly, dispelling her anxiety. She was a wizard, so if she could help Leonhardt with his mission, she would be able to stay by his side forever. ¡°Leonhard.¡± He turned her head slightly to look at Celine. ¡°You know, what would you do if my curse were lifted? Leonhard can¡¯t do anything because of me these days.¡± Leonhard blinked his eyes. ¡°Focusing on the mission¡­ no.¡± He paused for a moment. Before he met Celine, he was all about resting or training other than his duties. ¡°I will focus only on the mission. Other than that, I can¡¯t remember.¡± ¡°You are doing a great job. I think Leonhard deserves a little more pride.¡± Celine laughed softly. ¡°If it¡¯s okay with Leonhardt, can we carry out the mission together after the curse is lifted? Either warlocks or monsters.¡± ¡°¡­.?¡± He doubted his ears. All the while, he attributed the curse as the reason why Celine always stuck by his side and carried out his duties persistently¡­ But now, Celine was saying she wanted to do the mission with him¡­ without anything to do with the curse. His heart pounded hard against his chest as his breathing quickened slightly. ¡°¡­Really?¡± ¡°Does it look like empty words?¡± Leonhard gulped. ¡°Because I don¡¯t know why.¡± After the curse was lifted, Celine¡¯s debt to him disappeared. She wouldn¡¯t have to stick around at all to risk her life by his side. Furthermore¡­ His body stiffened. Breaking the curse meant that Celine only had one life. ¡®¡­.¡¯ Coming to the heartbreaking conclusion, he looked straight at her. The blue-gray eyes flashing with good feelings for him were smiling. ¡°After the curse is lifted, you and I have nothing to do anymore.¡± His voice was colder than intended. __ Chapter 84 Chapter 84 He regretted it as soon as the blue eyes with laughter were shaken, but it was already late. Even though Celine tried to pretend to be casual, she couldn¡¯t hide her trembling eyelids and unstable voice. If it was the usual Celine would have argued right now. She would say it didn¡¯t matter, that she wanted to help him and wanted to relieve his burden¡­ But now, Celine was in a state of anxiety caused by the sudden change in Leonhard¡¯s attitude. She spat out her words in a trembling voice. ¡°Wh-what does it mean?¡± ¡°¡­.¡± Silence flowed. Leonhard wanted to hit his head. Celine was definitely hurt. It was the result that he predicted, even if he only gave it a little thought. After leaving the mansion, she had only three people who she properly had an exchange with. Leonhardt himself, escort maid Danny, and Lute Carl. Among them, both Danny and Lute Carl were the ones who were attached by Bernoulli for her. The only one she could trust and rely on was himself¡­ However, he didn¡¯t think about how to deal with the words that he had already spoken. Above all, his wish that Celine should not help him with her one and only life made him hesitate. In the end, she was the one who broke the silence. ¡°¡­After the curse is broken, it is true that me and Leonhard are nothing. I don¡¯t know why you remind me of the fact that I already know. ¡± ¡°¡­.¡± His heart was beating hard. ¡°But, why is that why I shouldn¡¯t help Leonhard?¡± Leonhard closed his eyes. Still, he could still feel the gaze that was shaken but not falling from him. ¡°¡­Because you will be in danger.¡± Surprisingly, Celine seemed to be relieved by that simple word, and she returned to her distinctive tone. ¡°Leonhard, think about it. Warlocks were already chasing me. Do you think they will leave me alone because the curse is broken?¡± Leonhard¡¯s eyes grew bigger and soon hardened. ¡°I know. There is no safer place than with Leonhard.¡± ¡°You are really¡­ stupid.¡± A hoarse voice flowed through his lumpy throat. He couldn¡¯t believe that he had forgotten that fact. She would continue to be in danger because of him after breaking the curse¡­ maybe even greater danger. It was because Celine, with her curse broken, will disappear from this world once she died. He soon rubbed his forehead. So far, the aftermath of him moving without thinking flocked into him like a stormy sea, and his head hurt. ¡®Whoo¡­¡¯ Celine sighed, looking at his reaction, which seemed to be hit by a big wave. It was a sigh of relief. Now it was clear that Leonhard was worried about her when she returned to being an ordinary person. The small voice whispered somewhere deep. ¡®As expected, Leonhard won¡¯t throw me away.¡¯ Biting her lips, she tried to shake off the voice. ¡®I want to help Leonhard. I don¡¯t want to be a burden¡­¡¯ She still opened her mouth slowly, looking at Leonhard, who was still confused. ¡°I¡¯m going to be with Leonhard all the time today. If you are dissatisfied, talk now. ¡± Naturally, he did not reject her. Eventually, they entered a small restaurant near the bench, rather than the most expensive restaurant in the capital. ¡°I¡¯m sorry.¡± Leonhard looked carefully at Celine, who read the menu. ¡°Why?¡± ¡°Is it not much different from what you wanted?¡± ¡°It¡¯s okay. I just wanted to eat in a new place. ¡± ¡°Really?¡± Celine put the menu on the table. ¡°I can order all kinds of meals, right?¡± After a while, she picked up a hot sandwich that the restaurant owner had brought himself. Freshly baked bacon, egg fry, fresh tomatoes and lettuce were combined, and every time she ate a bite, I was admired. Above all, she liked the sandwich that was similar to what she often used to eat. Meanwhile, while she didn¡¯t notice it because she was eating, Leonhard was eating and looking at her. Come to think of it, it¡¯d been a long time since they had a leisurely meal with no missions. Obviously, it was more fun to look at Celine than to eat himself. ¡°You¡¯re not eating?¡± Suddenly Celine looked up and stared at Leonhard. ¡°You don¡¯t want to? It¡¯s strange. I¡¯m very hungry¡­¡± ¡°Oh, I was thinking for a while.¡± At the question, he hurriedly reached out for the food in front of his eyes and took it to his mouth. ¡°Leonhard, it looks like a dessert¡­¡± ¡°That¡¯s right.¡± Leonhardt realized that it was a cheesecake that he ate only after the sweet taste spread in his mouth. ¡°Is it really okay?¡± ¡°¡­Yes.¡± Celine was worried about him, who only ate properly after she repeatedly asked. ¡®As expected, his nerves are sharp because of the nightmares.¡¯ On the contrary, his mood seemed surprisingly fine, but she didn¡¯t know. ¡°Don¡¯t be too nervous. It¡¯s only¡­ one night anyway. ¡± ¡°¡­.¡± Leonhard agonized over the well-baked butter potatoes. Even though Celine was quite mistaken, he didn¡¯t know how to explain. ¡°Celine.¡± ¡°Yes?¡± ¡°I am¡­ not as scared of nightmares as you think. ¡± ¡°Ah.¡± Celine blinked for a while. ¡°I¡¯m sorry. I didn¡¯t mean to say that Leonhardt was a coward. It¡¯s just¡­ it¡¯s hard. ¡± ¡°It won¡¯t be so hard.¡± This time she was confused. It was because, until now, she had spent the night with him every time he had a nightmare, and Leonhard¡¯s struggle was still vivid every time in her eyes. Seeing her like that, Leonhard smiled small, anticipating her silent conflict. ¡°I don¡¯t know how to explain this. In the past, it was hard to see you dying in my dreams.¡± ¡°It¡¯s still hard now.¡± ¡°That¡¯s not true.¡± Leonhard shook his head. ¡°Now¡­ I¡¯m afraid of you dying. In comparison, dreams are nothing. ¡± ¡°In the dream, do I keep dying?¡± ¡°It¡¯s in the past.¡± Leonhard uttered as he continued, ¡°I¡¯m far more afraid that you may die in the future than in the dream.¡± ¡°But Leonhard¡­¡± ¡°Because it will be painful?¡± He laughed. ¡°Don¡¯t worry because I¡¯m not weak enough to not overcome one pain.¡± Celine bit her lips. She could never agree with his words because Leonhard was never an iron man who could not feel pain. ¡°I know it¡¯s a lie. When was it? Leonhard was the one who said it was better to endure pain if I was there¡­¡± ¡°¡­.¡± Leonhard was caught in the urge to kill himself, who was once weak and thoughtless. ¡°Well, let¡¯s just say that Leonhard¡¯s words are right. But the more I am by your side¡­ wouldn¡¯t it be a relief?¡± ¡°That¡¯s right.¡± He admitted. ¡°It¡¯s true that you are really helpful. It was the same before, and it will be today. ¡± He did not miss the smile that came to her mouth. ¡°First of all, I can see that you are alive. I was relieved¡­¡± He suddenly cut off his and took a glass of warm water. ¡°I see.¡± Celine frowned slightly. Leonhard¡¯s words all made sense. Besides, he didn¡¯t insist on staying alone tonight anymore, but still, she couldn¡¯t erase the idea that she had missed something somewhere. ¡®¡­What is it?¡¯ However, it was already when they had eaten all the food that filled the table, and it was time to get up. ¡°This place is worth eating, too.¡± Leonhard was a bit amused. Hearing that, Celine stared at him and spoke. ¡°That¡¯s a relief.¡± ¡°¡­.?¡± ¡°Actually, I thought you were having a hard time in the morning because of the nightmare, so I asked you to come out. But I think it was my misunderstanding¡­ what a relief.¡± ¡°Celine.¡± He called Celine in a surprise. In the first place, he thought she wanted to come out to refresh herself¡­ but it was actually for him? ¡°I actually¡­ came out for you.¡± ¡°Is that so?¡± A funny look came to Celine¡¯s face. ¡°Then, I¡¯m glad. I¡¯m happy, and Leonhard is, too.¡± ¡°That¡­ yes.¡± Leonhard did not follow her way of thinking this time, but he agreed. ¡°Should we go back now? I think Leonhard should have a little rest. ¡± As soon as they went back to the Grand Hotel, Leonhard dreamed. It was not a nightmare but an ordinary dream¡­ a general dream of a full spring when spring flowers bloomed. ¡®¡­Where is Celine?¡¯ He realized that he began to look for Celine, even in an ordinary dream, and laughed at himself. Still, what could he do? He couldn¡¯t imagine a life where he wouldn¡¯t even think about her, so he went to look for Celine and paced the flowery field. He could smell the sweet floral scent. ¡®Celine will like it.¡¯ Leonhard inadvertently bent over and picked the red flowers. ¡°Leonhard!¡± Suddenly, his body was frozen. ¡°¡­Celine?¡± Although he knew it was a dream, Leonhard called her, who was coming to him. She naturally accepted the flower from him. ¡°Did you pick this for me?¡± ¡°¡­Yes.¡± ¡°Oh, thank you.¡± Celine¡¯s cheeks were flushed. ¡°Then I, too¡­ a gift. ¡± The next moment, she tiptoed and wrapped her arm around his neck. Since Leonhard was not a fool, she knew what Celine was trying to do. He closed his eyes as he gazed at her soft lips coming. At that moment, he woke up. As the warm sunshine of the day was pouring out through the windows, Leonhard stared at the sun motionless in bed. He was confused about how to accept this dream. He was not a prophet like Celine, and this may have been a manifestation of desire buried somewhere in his heart. ¡®¡­.¡¯ Leonhard grabbed his fists so hard that his knuckles went white. __ Chapter 85 Chapter 85 Around the time that complete darkness fell everywhere, Celine stood in front of the door to Leonhard¡¯s room and took a deep breath. Although she was still alive, the echo of his voice as he kept trying to push her away lingered in her head. ¡®¡­Don¡¯t mind it. I just need to help Leonhard.¡¯ She knocked loudly on the door three times. ¡°Leonhard, I¡¯m coming in.¡± The door opened quietly. Unfortunately, he didn¡¯t even seem to get a good nap. As he gazed at her with bloodshot eyes, tiredness was evident on his face. ¡®Not even lying in bed¡­¡¯ Celine let out a sigh. Leonhard was sitting on a hard wooden chair, expressing his will never to sleep. After all, he, who was still suffering from nightmares right after they met, had no memory of taking a proper nap, so it was not surprising. ¡°You didn¡¯t get enough rest.¡± ¡°¡­It¡¯s my fault.¡± ¡°¡­.?¡± She blinked her eyes in bewilderment. ¡°It¡¯s Leonhard¡¯s fault?¡± ¡°N, no.¡± Only then did he realize his mistake and hurriedly fixed his words. ¡°Nothing to worry about. It was a slip of the tongue.¡± ¡°I guess it¡¯s because you¡¯re very tired.¡± Celine nodded. It wasn¡¯t for a day or two that Leonhard blamed himself for even the smallest things anyway, and since it was an urgent situation, she didn¡¯t want to go into every detail. ¡°Did you get some rest?¡± ¡°Me? Asking back, she smiled brightly before answering. ¡°I ate well and slept well. Enough to not sleep at night.¡± ¡°¡­.¡± When Leonhard¡¯s expression immediately darkened, she immediately recognized the cause. ¡°Are you worried about looking bad in my eyes?¡± ¡°¡­I can¡¯t say no.¡± ¡°Don¡¯t worry. Because Leonhard is handsome anytime, anywhere.¡± Although Celine said it lightly, half joking and half serious, Leonhard¡¯s face immediately flushed. ¡°Oh, are you embarrassed?¡± ¡°¡­Stop making useless jokes.¡± Saying that, he slowly rose from his seat and pointed to the bed. ¡°It¡¯s late. Get some sleep over there.¡± ¡°I told you a little while ago. I slept soundly.¡± She strode over and sat down on another chair at the table where he was sitting. ¡°Leonhard intends to sit here and spend the night, right? That¡¯s great. I¡¯m bored, so please be my companion.¡± Stunned, he jumped up and stared at Celine, who was right in front of his face. ¡°I think you know very well that I am not in a position to be your companion.¡± ¡°Then, I¡¯ll be Leonhardt¡¯s companion. It¡¯s a little uncomfortable here, right? Would you like to sit on the floor?¡± Leonhard sighed and sat back in his chair. He didn¡¯t expect this situation at all. ¡®Of course, I thought I just had to hold on while sleeping in bed¡­¡¯ However, Celine Hunt was always a woman who exceeded his expectations¡­ just like now. ¡°What are you going to talk about?¡± ¡°Well, anything?¡± Celine shrugged her shoulders. They had been talking quite a bit, but mostly about immediate problems. ¡°I want to know more about Leonhard.¡± ¡°¡­.¡± Leonhard tried to control his chest, which began to run frantically, but to no avail. He, too, wanted to know about her. More precisely, her past, present and future¡­ Although it was close to an impure desire to obtain everything about her. Still, he managed to hide all those impulses. ¡°¡­What about me?¡± ¡°Anything.¡± Celine¡¯s mouth drew a small arc. ¡°Then¡­ shall we start with your favorite color?¡± ¡°Color?¡± Leonhard frowned. ¡°I don¡¯t think there¡¯s any.¡± ¡°Really? I like the color green.¡± ¡°I see.¡± She continued to ask petty questions. Even though Leonhard thought the questions were pointless, he answered them in full detail. And by the time the moon rose even higher, his head was already bending down. ¡°¡­.¡± Celine chewed her lips carefully, observing Leonhard. While she was successful enough to relieve his tension, she had no way to deal with the nightmare itself. ¡®¡­This nightmare must be really difficult.¡¯ She closed her eyes tightly. She could still feel the pain as her whole body was being torn apart. She wanted to share in the pain if she could. However, she learned that the impossible things in this world must be given up. After a while¡­ ¡°¡­Celine!¡± A scream escaped from Leonhard¡¯s mouth, and at the same time, his blue eyes opened like the deep sea. ¡°I¡¯m here.¡± Celine clenched her teeth and nodded her head. She felt like crying just thinking of the pain he must have felt and that he would have felt it all night. ¡°I¡¯m fine.¡± ¡°Leonhard, how are you fine¡­!¡± In the end, tearful words flowed from her mouth. ¡°Leonhard always, always said you were fine¡­¡± ¡°Isn¡¯t that the same for you?¡± ¡°¡­.¡± At those words, Leonhard smiled helplessly. ¡°We look alike.¡± Celine reached out her hand and placed it on his, who was holding the table tight. ¡°¡­.!¡± Leonhardt¡¯s hand stiffened for a moment but didn¡¯t shake it off. ¡°I am always here. Whatever Leonhard sees in his dreams, it¡¯s not who I am now¡­ always remember that.¡± ¡°I¡¯ll try.¡± After saying that, his head tilted helplessly. Celine¡¯s breath started to get short. This was the first time she had properly observed him having a nightmare. Leonhard¡¯s sculpted face was contorted whenever he saw her past in the dreams, and cold sweat formed on his brow. Putting her own hand on top of his, she carefully wake him up. ¡°¡­.¡± Leonhard blinked his eyes with a face that hadn¡¯t quite yet grasped the situation. ¡°I¡¯m fine, Leonhard.¡± She tried to reassure him with her clear voice, but he shook her head. ¡°¡­Celine.¡± ¡°Yes?¡± ¡°I have some requests.¡± ¡°¡­If you tell me to leave, I won¡¯t listen.¡± ¡°Not that¡­¡± Leonhart hesitated for a moment. ¡°Please don¡¯t wake me up.¡± ¡°What?¡± ¡°What you¡¯ve been through, there¡¯s something unusual about it.¡± ¡°¡­.¡± She struggled to understand his words. ¡°It¡¯s just that the experiment went wrong¡­ did something explode?¡± ¡°I know very well about the energy contained in the cores of the boss monsters.¡± Leonhard poured out his words with great speed. ¡°But what you¡¯ve been through¡­ the fight. It¡¯s hard to explain them¡­¡± However, his words cut off and his eyelids fell heavily. Celine just stared at him as she clutched at her chest as it started beating like crazy. Come to think of it, there were a lot of strange things. That kind of darkness was never an enemy in the game. Furthermore, the power to block magic. Rather than the power of monsters¡­ wasn¡¯t it close to the power of a warlock? ¡®Ah.¡® She suddenly realized. Leonhard was thinking that the explosion might have been triggered by the warlocks. ¡®He told me not to wake him up in order to find out more accurately¡­¡¯ In order to know the cause, there would be no more effective method than experiencing the situation dozens of times. Celine buried her face in her hands as she realized that. She didn¡¯t notice anything strange, even though she was the one who had been through it herself. ¡®I¡¯m sorry, I¡­¡¯ She swallowed her sigh. Leonhard noticed through the warm morning sunlight that the long night had finally come to an end. He gazed at Celine, who had been sitting across from him motionless. She was dozing with her eyes half closed. ¡°¡­Celine?¡± ¡°Leonhard.¡± Her eyelids quivered, and the watery blue-gray eyes looked at him. ¡®¡­.¡¯ He didn¡¯t ask if she cried. He wouldn¡¯t do anything as dumb as ask a question he already knew the answer to. ¡°I am certain it was a warlock.¡± ¡°Is that so?¡± Celine muttered bitterly. ¡°I don¡¯t know how they did it¡­ it seems that the warlock sneaked in and polluted the energy.¡± ¡°Do the wizards know that?¡± Leonhard pondered seriously. ¡°I don¡¯t know. If all the data had been destroyed to keep this a secret, they would still not know.¡± ¡°No way¡­!¡± ¡°If it were, they would have stayed.¡± He sighed. The actions of the wizards who tried to bury Celine, as well as their own colleagues, were still vivid in his eyes. ¡°Leonhard, I know you don¡¯t like wizards, but¡­¡± ¡°They tried to seal everyone underground alive.¡± ¡°¡­.!¡± The blue-gray eyes shook in shock for a moment, then started burning with rage. ¡°So, that is why no matter how much I wait, no matter how much I fight¡­ no one opened the door.¡± ¡°Yes.¡± ¡°Then, I think the wizards have already figured out the cause.¡± ¡°¡­.?¡± Leonhard was dumbfounded. ¡°Why?¡± ¡°The people underground are also wizards.¡± Celine¡¯s voice was full of conviction. ¡°¡­They stay still?¡± ¡°That¡¯s right.¡± Leonhard muttered blankly. They must be wizards with considerable skills to study the cores of the chief monsters. There was no way they¡¯d stay still in anger. ¡°I need to meet them.¡± Finishing his words, he stood up. This wasn¡¯t the first time a warlock had infiltrated the imperial palace and played dirty tricks. However, in principle, this was done in a laboratory where only wizards belonging to the Imperial Family could enter¡­ It meant that there was a warlock among them. Leonhard gritted his teeth. It wasn¡¯t a problem that would end as easily as the previous inspection with the Crown Prince¡¯s aides. Wizards belonging to the Imperial Family could evade his pursuit as much as they wanted. How would he catch them if they left the empire under the pretext of doing a mission or research? This warlock could never have been caught without the help of the wizards. Celine looked a little uneasy. ¡°How do we meet them? I have no way to contact them, so¡­¡± He snorted at the question. ¡°They must be trying to restore that ridiculous greenhouse. I know where they are.¡± Celine nodded and got up. ¡°You can just rest here¡­¡± ¡°Oh, that¡¯s what I was going to talk about.¡± At those words, she smiled. ¡°It¡¯s exactly the same reason Leonhard is trying to go now. I can¡¯t sit still either.¡± Leonhard drove Black as hard as he could. Arriving a few minutes later didn¡¯t change anything, but he was just as impatient. The moment he finally reached the entrance of Libron Castle¡­ ¡°¡­.!¡± Her body stiffened. ¡°Leonhardt, th-that¡­¡± She barely swallowed her words. It was because Libron Castle was covered in green smoke that felt artificial. She knew what it was. ¡­Poison Zone. It was a stage she cleared in the game. __ Chapter 86 Chapter 86 ¡®The Poison Stage¡­¡¯ Celine groaned inside She didn¡¯t know that the next stage would appear so soon. Didn¡¯t the swamp stage end the other day? In Libron Castle as well. Because the player¡¯s field of view was not properly visible in the poison stage, the background was barely visible, though at least, it wasn¡¯t a fancy castle like the Imperial Castle. ¡®Rather, it was more like an ordinary mansion.¡¯ Her head hurt. It really became like the phrase from the quest. Then, the phrase from the quest, which she thought was just announcing that it was the last stage of the true ending route, came to her. ¡ªPrepare, then wait. ¡®¡­I was stupid.¡¯ Celine blamed herself inside. After she had prepared enough, she got used to going to a certain place and clearing the stage, so she didn¡¯t even think about what exactly the phrase meant. ¡®I can¡¯t even be so pathetic to say that I¡¯m glad that I don¡¯t have to visit the places anymore.¡¯ Now the stage would pop up in front of her own eyes when she was not ready for anything, and in a completely unexpected place. Perhaps, like the swamp, it may appear at the most difficult times. ¡®I should have prepared a little more¡­¡¯ Still, Celine remembered what she was doing yesterday. ¡®It can¡¯t be helped.¡¯ Celine let out a small sigh. She would have been by Leonhard¡¯s side yesterday anyway, even if she knew that she would be facing a new stage right in front of her nose today. While she knew what he was going through, she couldn¡¯t leave him alone.       ¡°¡­.?¡± Leonhard immediately got off Black, but Celine just sat there blankly. ¡®I wonder if she was very surprised.¡¯ He carefully led her away from Black. ¡°I¡¯m, I¡¯m sorry.¡± ¡°No. It¡¯s a given to be surprised. I was¡­ surprised, too.¡± Leonhard told her to wait a moment and then walked over to the entrance, as Celine could not be recklessly brought into a space filled with dubious smoke. Fortunately, instead of objecting, she just bit her lip and told him to come back as soon as he felt something wrong. ¡°¡­.!¡± His eyes widened and he swung Rashin in an instant, transforming it into a metallic shield. However, the smoke quickly broke through the temporary barrier and penetrated his body. ¡®¡­.?¡¯ Leonhard frowned. He didn¡¯t feel anything special. ¡®It¡¯s strange¡­¡¯ If this smoke were harmful to people, the entrance to Libron Castle would be full of people crawling out, asking for help. However, Libron Castle was so quiet that not even a scream could be heard. ¡®¡­Did the wizards do something to restore it?¡¯ He turned towards Celine with the shield transforming back to Rashir. ¡°It doesn¡¯t seem like a big deal. I guess you can come in.¡± ¡°What¡­?¡± Celine asked with wide eyes, but she didn¡¯t move a single step. Seeing that, Leonhard was a little taken aback. Of course, this smoke can be scary. Wasn¡¯t he too nervous and made a shield? ¡°It looks dangerous, but it¡¯s not a big deal. If you¡¯re really worried, I¡¯ll go see the person in charge and find out what¡¯s causing it. It makes me uncomfortable.¡± Their sight was completely blocked, and they could only see right in front of them. But for him, the fact that he could see her face a step away from him mattered, so Celine nodded her head slowly before she stiffly moved her body to step her foot into the smoke. ¡°¡­.!¡± As heavy smoke hit her nose and mouth in an instant, she twisted her body and created a shield with the wind, protecting her and Leonhard. ¡°Celine?¡± A fresh breeze drove the smoke away from her and allowed her to breathe properly. Still, even that brief exposure was quite painful, so Celine sat on the ground, gasping for breath. ¡°Celine!¡± Leonhardt knelt down and carefully grabbed her shoulders. ¡°What¡­ what is the problem?¡± ¡°This, this is poison.¡± ¡°Poison¡­?¡± Leonhard¡¯s face looked puzzled. ¡°It¡¯s, it¡¯s a poison that doesn¡¯t work on Leonhard. I don¡¯t know why.¡± She stuttered. On the other hand, Leonhard still seemed unconvinced. ¡°Celine, I am also affected by the poison. This is just normal acting.¡± Celine gritted her teeth. He couldn¡¯t seem to understand, but she could guess enough. It was because the enemy who relentlessly appeared in the poison stage, aiming for the main character, was none other than Leonhard. Leonhard, who has not appeared in the game for a while, reappeared in the Poison stage. More precisely, he relentlessly pursued the main character from the poison stage to the final stage. So, he couldn¡¯t be affected by this poison gas. ¡®¡­Ah.¡® Celine closed her eyes tightly. She could sense that he was examining him anxiously, but she couldn¡¯t stand it. From now on, she realized that no stage was easy. For a while, he played the role of a cheat key while fighting against enemies on stage with her¡­ but what if Leonhard himself is the enemy of the stage? Even if she didn¡¯t bother to experiment, Celine knew the answer. ¡®The stage itself won¡¯t come true¡­¡¯ Her head was dizzy. If he had been playing the role of a bystander since the beginning, it would have been a long time since he was deeply involved in the process of clearing the stage. She kept thinking of the empty boxes she didn¡¯t want to pay attention to. If he had told Leonhard strongly and cleared the stage by herself¡­ Celine shook her head. ¡®No. Let¡¯s not worry about the past. If it wasn¡¯t for Leonhard¡­ I might still be caught in one of them.¡¯ She just thought she and Leonhard did their best at the time. Above all, there were many problems to solve before that, and she had no time to be regretting the past. ¡°Leonhardt.¡± Celine raised her head and looked straight at him. As soon as the blue eyes, sharp from anxiety, confirmed that she was all right, they softened with relief. ¡°I have a favor.¡± ¡°¡­What.¡± ¡°Please¡­ do not help me.¡± ¡°¡­.?¡± Leonhardt was silent but did not bother to hide his feelings. Thanks to that, she was able to read his expression. ¡®I know what you¡¯re talking about, but I think you want to say that it¡¯s a useless worry¡­¡¯ Celine gulped and spoke again. ¡°Do you remember that mansion? Please follow me as you did back then. Don¡¯t stop me¡­ and don¡¯t help in any way.¡± ¡°Is it that dream again?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± At the question, she nodded her head. ¡°And, if you don¡¯t do that, then I have to¡­ start all over again.¡± ¡°What do you mean?¡± Leonhard frowned. ¡°From the beginning, standing at this point¡­¡± Celine roughly explained it. How could she say that she had to start over at the beginning of the stage, which was an automatic save point? There was silence, still, it seemed that Leonhard finally nodded. It was as she expected. ¡°Whatever it is, if this also appears in your dreams¡­ it would be right to follow your words.¡± He spoke slowly. ¡°However, it is a different story when you are in mortal danger. I will do everything in my power to save you¡­ so that you know.¡± ¡°Leonhard!¡± Celine hurriedly shouted. In any case, if the situation as he said, happened, everything would go wrong. However, Leonhard didn¡¯t seem to be moved at all by Celine¡¯s dissuaded cry. Rather, he looked at her with a sad gaze. ¡°So, don¡¯t die.¡± His voice was firm. She sensed that he had drawn a line he could never retreat from. ¡®It can¡¯t be helped.¡¯ Celine checked the shield once again, which she had created using the wind. The heroine of [ Celine¡¯s Nightmare ] progressed through the stages by filling its health points with healing potions. It seemed that there was no need for it this time, as the magic shield had worked well enough. ¡®Thank God.¡¯ She had no intention of wasting the healing potion. It¡¯d been quite a while since she didn¡¯t receive a stage clear reward. Clearly, the more she went, the more difficult it would be to clear the stage, so she had to save the healing potion to the end, even for Leonhard, not for herself. ¡°Leonhard, you really can¡¯t feel anything, right?¡± ¡°I know what you¡¯re worried about¡­ it¡¯s just uncomfortable not being able to see. Not to mention that. It sounds like a really normal place.¡± ¡°Is that so?¡± Hearing his words, Celine eventually took a deep breath and pulled back half of the shield, leaving it wrapped around herself. ¡°Are you really okay?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± She blinked. Her whole body trembled at the thought of walking for a long time in the green smoke, which only felt like poison gas and she patted her pocket full of magic stones to clear her mind. ¡®I have done more than this. I have enough magic power. I brought a lot of her magic stones¡­ If it¡¯s necessary, I can use Ringzor¡¯s scabbard.¡¯ There was no time to lose. Celine started to run aimlessly in front of her.       ¡°Gasp, gasp¡­!¡± Before long, Celine was exhausted. It must have been because she stayed up half the night with Leonhard. However, she continued to move her heavy body, as she had no time to make up for the lack of sleep. She was lucky because she had ¡®Hermes shoes.¡¯ ¡°¡­.!¡± Celine stood frozen. It was bomething soft landed on her foot. She knew what it was even before she bent down to check it out. It was the body of a fallen person. ¡°N, no¡­¡± A moan escaped her mouth. Tears welled up in her eyes as she suddenly felt as if she had been hit in the head. It¡¯d been a long time since she didn¡¯t think of this place, Leonhard¡¯s country, as a simple game space. She thought so of the stage. In the lava field, in the ghost town, in the swamp¡­ she has prided herself on fully realizing that this is the world of real people. Nonetheless, at this moment, Celine realized. She subconsciously thought of the stage as an object in the game that needs to be cleared as quickly as possible. She still hadn¡¯t gotten the slightest bit out of that perception¡­ ¡®As soon as I found out that this place was engulfed in poison gas, I should have thought¡­ of the many people inside.¡¯ Celine didn¡¯t budge and buried her face in her hands. She needed time to think. In order to move everyone in the castle, clearing the stage would be delayed by at least a day. Above all, if Leonhard had helped, the clearing of this stage itself may not be successful. But in the end, she made a decision that she should do this on her own. ¡°Are you there? Leonhard.¡± __ Chapter 87 Chapter 87 ¡°Come closer.¡± Leonhard flinched. Seemingly, Celine had told him never to help her. Besides, since she was not one to easily reverse her decisions, the upset soon left him. ¡°Are you okay?¡± ¡°¡­.¡± His heart tightened in an instant. Celine wasn¡¯t okay at all. Her back trembled as she sat halfway down on the floor, and in front of her¡­ ¡°¡­What?¡± A dazed word came out of Leonhard¡¯s mouth. ¡®It can¡¯t be.¡¯ He immediately sat down next to Celine and examined the condition of the fallen person. ¡®He lost consciousness.¡¯ Even though his pulse was still beating, his breathing was heavy, like that of a dying man and there was only one cause he could think of. ¡­This green smoke, which Celine claimed to be poisonous. ¡®¡­.¡¯ Guilt and shock crawled up him. Frankly, he didn¡¯t believe it when Celine claimed the green smoke was poison. ¡®I thought it was a big mistake¡­¡¯ Although he was the only magic swordsman in the empire, his body itself was not very different from that of an ordinary human. Not only had he never heard of such poisonous smoke, but if it were, his body would have already reacted. However, this fallen person was obviously poisoned¡­ The first thing that came to Leonhardt¡¯s mind was the Imperial Family. ¡®¡­They must have evacuated.¡¯ Fortunately, the imperial family always had a wizard belonging to the Imperial Family by their side. It was mainly to prevent assassination threats. The fact that Celine¡¯s shields were effective meant that the shields of other wizards were the same, so they would all be safe. Leonhard opened his mouth slowly after organizing his thoughts. ¡°¡­Sorry.¡± ¡°What?¡± ¡°I didn¡¯t think¡­ it¡¯s really poisonous.¡± ¡°¡­.¡± In an instant, for the first time in her life, Celine felt like blaming him. If he had believed her words, he would have immediately remembered the possibility that the people of Libron Castle were in danger. ¡®¡­No.¡¯ Celine bit her lip. She felt sorry for herself for unconsciously blaming someone else, no matter how careless it was. Leonhard followed her words entirely. Even though he didn¡¯t believe her words properly, he followed her request without saying anything. Celine clenched her fists tightly. It was because even if she found out a little earlier anyway, nothing would change. ¡°Leonhardt. Is there any way to evacuate people?¡± She knew well enough that neither she nor Leonhardt could save everyone. Still, as she couldn¡¯t think of a way to save this many people, Celine hoped Leonhard would. Unfortunately, he also didn¡¯t come up with any sharp plan. ¡°¡­Looks like we¡¯ll have to call in the wizards. They are the only ones who can create a barrier.¡± ¡°How to call¡­¡± ¡°No. That¡­ wasn¡¯t the lab also closed? It will take a long time.¡± ¡°No, won¡¯t they already know?¡± When Celine asked in a hopeful voice, Leonhard shook his head. ¡°The man was poisoned not long ago. It feels as if someone waited for us to arrive and then spread the poison.¡± ¡°¡­.!¡± Celine¡¯s eyes widened. It was because Leonhard¡¯s words gave her a shining clue. While it wasn¡¯t official, it was actually a stage with a time limit. Healing potions could replenish their ever-decreasing stamina, but there was a limit. ¡®It was about fifteen minutes in real time.¡¯ If they head to their destination while not avoiding Leonhard, who chased the player, the time would be even shorter. ¡®¡­Come to think of it.¡¯ Celine blinked. Now that the background of the stage had already changed, there was a possibility that the clearing method had also changed. Nonetheless, assuming they were the same¡­ She shook her head. It wasn¡¯t something she thought about right now. Thinking so, she gazed straight at Leonhardt. ¡°Leonhard. I think I can stop this smoke. Can you help me?¡± ¡°¡­You ask when you know the answer.¡± Celine laughed. ¡°Then, let¡¯s go.¡± There was no more time to delay. Celine ran, drawing on all her remaining strength. Although it looked like she was going to die, she didn¡¯t care. After her, an enemy more terrifying than Leonhard in the game was pursuing closely. The enemy called time. In her mind, the same dead ending she had seen three times came to mind. ¡®The annihilation ending¡­¡¯ It was an ending in which the main character dies along with everyone in the mansion. Fortunately, the time seemed to be shortened considerably compared to the actual gameplay. In the meantime, various obstacles attacked, but it was also thanks to Leonhard cutting them off in one blow. He seemed to find the slimes swaying like a cloud of green smoke strange, but just like the situation, he didn¡¯t say anything. When he sliced the sixth slime into pieces with a single blow, Celine decided to let go of her lingering feelings about not having his help. ¡®If it weren¡¯t for Leonhard, the people here would have died long ago.¡¯ She ran for a while. A spiral staircase had appeared that led to the tallest spire in all of Libron Castle. Celine started to run up, leaving the door half open. Her heart raced. It might be different, she thought, but her intuition was screaming that exactly what she had seen in the game was waiting for her. When she finally reached the top of the tower, a foreground was revealed where the green smoke had completely cleared. ¡°¡­.!¡± Leonhard trembled beside her, but he had no time to care. Celine seemed bewitched as she stepped into the top floor of the tower. ¡®As expected¡­¡¯ Her intuition was right. The condition for clearing this stage was a rhythm game. ¡­In the game, the main character ran, and now she would run too. ¡°Celine.¡± Leonhardt nervously called Celine. He had already been here once before. This massive tower, which he used to use as a watchtower in times of war or rebellion, was supposed to be empty. However, the scene he saw now was quite different from what he remembered. This place was more than a tower¡­ it felt like a colossal square though all sides were open. ¡°Celine!¡± He called Celine anxiously as the floor on which she stood looked like empty space where nothing existed. Leonhard wanted to get close to her or pull her towards him. Still, his instinct was screaming that he, too, would be in danger. His stubbornness hadn¡¯t thwarted his instincts, but each time, the results were never good, and now it was a situation where he couldn¡¯t take a chance. Fortunately, this time Celine turned her head to look at him. ¡°Leonhard.¡± Goosebumps stood up, and he looked at Celine anxiously. There was an indefinable quirk in her voice just now. ¡°Thank you so far.¡± ¡°¡­Celine.¡± ¡°Now, hold this for me. Whatever you see here, I want you to stay there.¡± ¡°¡­.¡± Powerful ominous power overtook him. This wasn¡¯t the first time Celine had said something similar. However, Celine now was like¡­ ¡®She looks like a soldier who knows she will die.¡¯ Leonhard moved his hardened mouth. ¡°Except for situations where you might die.¡± ¡°¡­Leonhard. I¡¯m running out of time, so I¡¯ll ask you one thing.¡± Celine¡¯s face, like his, was hardened. ¡°Leonhard, one death and a thousand living¡­ while thousands die, one lives. What do you think is better? There are no other options.¡± ¡°¡­.¡± If he had known her a little less, he would have said without hesitation about the former because that was the way he lived. However, he knew Celine as he knew her now, and it was clear what she meant. ¡°The latter is¡­ better.¡± He didn¡¯t bother to say whom the one meant. ¡°Even if a thousand die?¡± ¡°¡­.¡± As she looked at his distorted face, she felt guilty. She didn¡¯t like this kind of dilemma. She didn¡¯t even like being on the dying side herself. Still, if she didn¡¯t go this far, Leonhard would surely try to stop her. Until she cleared this stage, she remembered the dead endings she had seen. Rhythm games were very difficult for her, and Celine, who usually did not like rhythm games, always failed. Whenever that happened, there was an option that the player discovered while falling endlessly, waiting only for intense pain and death. ¡ª ¡®Giant gears, moving continuously and making green smoke rise¡­ it¡¯s killing people.¡¯ ¡ª ¡®If only I could put in a little bit of strength to get in between them¡­ I should be able to stop the gears.¡¯ Celine has tried both. If she chose [ Yes ], the player¡¯s body was literally ground to the gears. They would save everyone in the mansion through that sacrifice, but what was the use? The main character of [ Celine¡¯s Nightmare ] had already died, and they had to go back to the beginning of the stage again. While if they chose [ No ], the main character died. Pointless, like over a hundred other dead endings in [ Celine¡¯s Nightmare ]. This time, it was clear what she had to choose. ¡®¡­.¡¯ Celine gulped. She wouldn¡¯t have bluffed Leonhard if she was confident that she would survive the rhythm game of death. If she cleared the rhythm game to the end, all the smoke would disappear and the mansion would return to normal. However, she really wasn¡¯t confident. Even a rhythm game played on a computer was difficult, but a rhythm game in which she had to run while moving her body. Moreover, if she failed even a little bit, she would fall and die. Celine opened her mouth to make sure Leonhardt didn¡¯t follow her in any case. ¡°Leonhard, no matter what¡­ stand there. Got it? Whatever happens, I¡¯m fine.¡± She couldn¡¯t bear to say, ¡®because she¡¯ll live.¡¯ ¡°¡­.¡± There was silence again. Inside, she begged and prayed that he would follow her words. ¡®Please, Leonhard. I don¡¯t want you dead!¡¯ Even though she wanted to give him time to answer, she was in a hurry every minute and every second. Soon, she hurriedly turned her body to look at the vast expanse in front of her eyes. When she started running, the rhythm game would begin. Just then, Leonhard¡¯s solemn voice resonated throughout the tower. __ Chapter 88 Chapter 88 ¡°Celine, I¡­¡± Leonhard interrupted her for a moment. He was choked and could not speak properly. ¡°¡­I want you to do whatever you want.¡± Celine couldn¡¯t answer. Her body, which seemed about to jump out, felt heavy as lead. Funny enough, she realized it the moment she heard that, that she would never do anything to make him sad¡­ And the fact that she would never carry out the gruesome plan that had sprung up in her head. ¡°Leonhard.¡± Celine opened her mouth slowly. ¡°I¡­ I won¡¯t die. Do not worry.¡± She still didn¡¯t look back, but she could sense that Leonhard, who had been standing tight, had softened considerably. Celine thought for a moment as her body, which was about to jump out, paused as she thought again. At least for now, she felt that death was an easier option than life. Death was a sure success, and life seemed impossible even if she struggled. Now, her plan to fall into thin air and die as soon as the rhythm game began was completely lost. She had to think of new plans and methods. ¡®If you don¡¯t want to die¡­ then succeed.¡¯ She closed her eyes tightly. ¡®You can do it. You¡¯ve already succeeded once.¡¯ Celine tried to ignore the fact that that ¡®success¡¯ was only possible after seeing the dead ending five or six times in a row. She tried to recall the music that rang in the game as soon as she entered the top of the mansion. Of course, it wasn¡¯t easy. How could she remember the OST for a rhythm game that she heard only once in [ Celine¡¯s Nightmare ]? However, she was able to roughly recall the pattern from the beginning. Celine glanced down at her own feet. ¡®At first¡­ I ran slowly a few times.¡¯ After that, she had to run a little faster to the faster and faster music. There were also sections where she went up to the top of the structure. She gulped. ¡®Let¡¯s try it.¡¯ As she rushed forward recklessly, the next moment, the music pierced Celine¡¯s ears and reverberated through her body. Her whole body shuddered as if struck by lightning. ¡®This¡­!¡¯ It was music that she knew all too well. It was the music that played every time she cleared a stage. She memorized it completely, and the music was clearly ringing in her ears. At the same time, the floor that had firmly supported Celine¡¯s feet disappeared, and colorful blocks began to appear. Celine¡¯s face lit up. She was able to keep her promise to Leonhard! At first, it was much easier than she thought. Celine moved her body according to the familiar music and succeeded in stepping on a block in the air that appeared and disappeared every moment. It was as if the music was guiding her to move her body in the right direction of her own accord. However, the joy did not last long. ¡ªKiiiik! As creepy noise began to be mixed with the music. Celine wanted to stop and figure out the identity of the noise, but it was impossible as she had to keep her feet moving. Blocks appeared right under her feet and disappeared in an instant. Her vision didn¡¯t help much, so Celine had to rely solely on her ears. The noise grew louder, and her graceful movements became more and more blunders. Fortunately, she was able to step on the blocks, just barely missing them, but unlike the early time, she couldn¡¯t help but stumble. A cold sweat ran down her chin and dripped into the air on her side. Celine gulped again. She wanted to stop and rest, even for a moment. But at that moment, her body would fall into the air like a sweat she had just shed. ¡°Captain, what the hell is that?¡± The members of the Knights of Paradiso looked up at Libron Castle, which was enveloped in green smoke, with anxious eyes. While they were training hard as usual at the Bernoulli family¡¯s villa, they heard about the situation at Libron Castle and immediately rushed to the place. ¡°I don¡¯t know.¡± Bart murmured blankly. ¡°What can we do¡­?¡± Instead of answering, Bart took out a silver knife from his chest and put it into the green smoke. After a while, the blade he took out was discolored. ¡°It¡¯s poison. As you can see.¡± ¡°¡­.!¡± ¡°This¡­ There is nothing we can do, only the wizards can.¡± ¡°If it¡¯s poison, the people in there¡­¡± ¡°Don¡¯t worry. The wizards will help you.¡± Bart pointed to the wizards moving in and out of the mist. ¡°There!¡± ¡°There¡­?¡± Just as Bart was about to frown, an imperial wizard he had never seen before screamed at him. ¡°What are you doing without giving first aid? Can¡¯t you see these people dying? Are you here to be lazy?¡± Bart, the leader of Carpathia, was in a position where he could fight them on an equal footing if he wanted to. However, he kept his mouth shut and crossed his arms. It was a sign of displeasure, but at the same time, it also meant that the words he had just heard from the wizard would be disregarded. ¡°Captain¡­!¡± ¡°Ignore it. What they say is not wrong, we should do what we can.¡± He slowly approached the fallen. ¡®If they have inhaled the poisonous smoke¡­ they¡¯ll need an antidote.¡¯ Perhaps reading his thoughts, another wizard gasped and explained. ¡°They don¡¯t need an antidote. Squeeze their lungs to get the bad air out. There will be no expert like you out there.¡± ¡°Did you hear? Do as they say.¡± Nevertheless, his words were not enough to convince his members. Even one of his members, who couldn¡¯t overcome his temper, jumped into the smoke, saying that it would be better to rescue people himself, and then lost consciousness and was dragged out. Bart immediately shouted. ¡°From now on, anyone who goes inside without my orders will be expelled from our Knights!¡± ¡°Yes!¡± Members who saw their colleague fainting answered in contemplation. They immediately rushed over to the fallen and began pressing on their chests. It wasn¡¯t just the knights who were mobilized. ¡°What is all this¡­¡± While taking a few days off sick leave and resting at home, Rose, a wizard belonging to the Imperial Family, muttered blankly in the middle of the green smoky Libron Castle. All members of the Imperial Family staying at Livron Castle escaped safely with the help of the wizards belonging to the Imperial Family. The Emperor was furious, but he had to accept that it would take a while to uncover the green smoke¡¯s identity. Eventually, he gave the order to rescue all the people remaining in Libron and went into hiding. Libron Castle was a huge castle with four palaces and many more subsidiary buildings. Because of that, even Rose, who had taken sick leave and had a good rest, was brought in. ¡°Where is everyone¡­ Emily! Mabel!¡± Rose looked around, annoyed. Still, none of the comrades who had decided to gather on the spire, the only one whose high top was not obscured by green smoke, was nowhere to be seen. ¡®Did they all accept their missions and leave?¡¯ Maybe she was much later than the others. It was true that she came as late as possible because she was annoyed by the sudden call while she was on sick leave. ¡®If I had known this was going to happen, I would have jumped out right away¡­ how can I know if it¡¯s urgent?¡¯ She let out a sigh and moved her steps toward another place where the people might have been laid. ¡°Oh¡­!¡± Rose let out a low moan. It was because her foot stepped on something hard and soft. As she immediately bent down and looked down¡­ ¡°¡­.!¡± A man who had completely lost consciousness was lying flat on the road. Rose used her magic to lift the man up and, at the same time, blocked greenish smoke from entering the area around her nose and mouth. ¡®I can¡¯t get off work today¡­¡¯ She moved quickly towards the entrance to Livron Castle, untouched by the smoke. It never crossed her wildest dreams that Celine Hunt was fighting to death right above her head. Celine tried to hear the actual music in the midst of the growing noise. ¡®Ding¡­ Dingding¡­¡¯ Nonetheless, it was next to impossible to ignore the noise that grew louder, like someone shouting right next to her ear. Naturally, her feet had to slow down. Funny enough, the slower she slowed her feet, the faster her heart beat that it became impossible to focus on the music any longer. ¡°Right now, run!¡± Suddenly, a sharp voice pierced her head. It was Leonhard. Celine didn¡¯t think about it and acted on the voice. In the next moment, his voice began pouring into her. Run, stop, stand, higher, higher¡­ lower. This was possible because no matter how loud the noise was, she could only discern Leonhard¡¯s voice. Her fast-paced heartbeat gradually began to subside. After a while, Celine realized that the music was coming to an end. ¡®¡­No.¡¯ Suddenly, as if she had been doused in cold water, her mind was awoken. By the time the music and rhythm game came to an end, her feet were still rapidly moving. ¡®The sound is decreasing.¡¯ Celine was seized by the sudden panic. First, the noises were increasing, then this time, the whole sound decreased. For the first time, she felt the will of the stage itself. ¡®You¡¯re trying to drop me. By all means¡­ you¡¯re trying to make me take that choice.¡¯ She felt nauseous. What was even more terrifying was that her mind was starting to get complicated. ¡®Shall I continue to do this in the future? ¡­.Why? If I fall, I¡¯ll have to choose. Then Leonhard¡­¡¯ Fortunately, the moment Celine remembered Leonhardt¡¯s name, she immediately came to her senses. ¡®I cannot die¡­ because I promised Leonhard.¡¯ She made her way through the situation as she listened to Leonhard¡¯s voice, which sounded soft to her. However, she could fully predict that even this rope would soon be cut. ¡®Let¡¯s memorize it. It¡¯s been repeating since before¡­¡¯ Celine traced her memories and listened to Leonhard¡¯s voice in her ears as she weaved the patterns one by one. The very moment she barely memorized all the patterns. Silence arrived. Neither the noise, nor the music, nor Leonhard¡¯s voice¡­ only her feet moved in the space where everything had disappeared. All around her was so still that the pounding of her heart could be heard as loud as thunder. With her eyes closed, Celine drew a pattern she had already memorized in her head and ran to it. After some time, even ¡®Hermes¡¯ shoes¡¯ had reached their limits, and Celine¡¯s feet were sweaty from overwork. The strength in her whole body seemed to have drained away though she still had to move. ¡ªDing! Her blue-gray eyes flashed open. Just then, she heard a loud pop that didn¡¯t match the music in her head at all. At the same time, Celine realized that she had stepped on the air. The music has changed. __ Chapter 89 Chapter 89 At the same time as the unfamiliar music played, Celine was knocked over into the air. ¡®No¡­!¡¯ What she felt the moment she fell was pure fear. Just like¡­ when she was trapped in the barrier by the warlock who kidnapped her. Just like then, there were irresistible powers that were about to push her to death, but Celine soon came to her senses. She couldn¡¯t just stand being afraid, just like back then, because she could use magic now. Closing her eyes tightly, she wrapped magic all over her body. The wind spurred by her powerful magical powers hummed in her ears, slowing her descent. She opened her eyes. ¡®It¡¯s the same from¡­ what I saw in the game.¡¯ They were obviously gigantic gears that could not exist in this world. In addition, they were rolling in perfect alignment, giving off green smoke. Celine glided slowly through the air, watching the scene, bewitched. She didn¡¯t even think of the danger or the need to stop. It was the only realistic-looking structure in this unreal world. ¡®Wake up!¡¯ She scolded herself. Obviously, this was also a trick of the stage to deceive her into the dead ending. Celine took a deep breath. ¡®I have to stop that. That¡¯s why I came all the way here.¡¯ If she didn¡¯t stop that, the reason for enduring that hellish rhythm game would disappear. She looked closely at the cogs. The player could stop the green smoke by throwing themselves between the cogs and getting crushed. Naturally, the first method she tried was magic. She slowly approached the cogwheel that seemed to be the most central. Then, with the determination to die, she began to push the cogwheel in the reverse direction by squeezing the magic from her whole body. ¡°¡­Huooh.¡± At that moment, her head spun and her stomach churned. Celine gasped for breath. She felt as if she was walking on a thin line suspended in mid-air. It was only thanks to her magical power that she could float in the air now. She couldn¡¯t even defy gravity, so slowing down was her limit. If she put too much magic into pushing this cog, she¡¯d come crashing down at that moment. A sudden, terrifying realization took her by surprise. ¡®Even if there is magic, nothing will change.¡¯ It was impossible to stop this structure with her magic. There was only one way to stop this cogwheel, and that was to sacrifice her life. ¡°Ah¡­¡± She let out a moan of her despair. The fact that she was a powerful wizard, unlike the lead in the game, had no effect. So, it meant that she would never escape the terrifying options of this stage. ¡®If I¡¯d known it would be like this, I¡¯d rather fall and die from the start.¡¯ Dozens or hundreds of people may have died while she struggled with the rhythm game. Celine took a deep breath. If this stage made her make this choice to that extent, the answer would be fixed. ¡®I can¡¯t waste any more time.¡¯ She slowly approached the gap in the cogs. ¡°Celine!¡± ¡°¡­.?¡± Her body froze. Clearly, someone¡¯s voice came. Not Leonhard¡¯s voice, but someone else¡¯s. ¡°You¡¯re Celine, right?¡± ¡°¡­Rose?¡± Celine spat out a word in a tone of disbelief. ¡°Wait a minute, I¡¯ll call the people!¡± Rose¡¯s voice came right in her ear. Celine thought that it might be the delusion from the stage for a moment, but she immediately changed her mind. ¡®I would be swayed more by Leonhard, why would they use Rose?¡¯ It must be true when Rose said she was bringing people to help. Celine doubted that things would be any different if Rose brought the wizards to help, but she didn¡¯t throw her body right into the cogs to fix the problem. She didn¡¯t even pointlessly pour magic into it to push the cog in reverse again. Rather, she was just trying to slow her fall as much as she could. ¡®For now, I have no choice but to trust Rose.¡¯ Celine admitted. She really didn¡¯t want to die. She hated it even more to throw her body into the cogs and have her whole body crushed to death. So, she waited even while she was sure that Rose wouldn¡¯t be of much use to her. After a while, she was now to the point where she couldn¡¯t tell whether it was tears or sweat running down her face. It was the result of her desperate efforts to expend the minimum amount of magic, thinking that if Rose brought the wizards, she would have to join in as well as she could. ¡®¡­I wonder if it was a delusion.¡¯ Celine gulped. If she has been tricked by the stage because of petty hopes¡­ ¡°Celine!¡± It was Rose¡¯s voice. ¡°Rose.¡± ¡°Oh, don¡¯t try to speak. We can¡¯t hear your words. I¡¯ll go up there at once.¡± In her relief, her entire body went limp. After a while, dozens of people appeared through the green smoke on top of a giant metal structure. As soon as Celine climbed the structure, she stumbled and fell to her knees. ¡°Are you okay?¡± Rose anxiously supported her. ¡°¡­No.¡± ¡°It seems so.¡± ¡°How did you get, here¡­¡± ¡°I felt Celine¡¯s magic. It was because of this.¡± Saying so, Rose pointed to the cog. ¡°There is green smoke coming out of them¡­ to stop¡­¡± ¡°I understand even if you don¡¯t tell me.¡± Even though she tried to stand up on her wobbly legs, Rose immediately sat her on the floor. ¡°Stay still. We¡¯ll take care of that now.¡± ¡°¡­You could?¡± ¡°Aren¡¯t you looking at us too incompetently?¡± Rose laughed. ¡°Last time, Celine saved our lives. So this time, please give us a chance.¡± ¡°¡­.¡± Celine blinked her eyes, a little taken aback. It was true that she had saved the lives of wizards because she fought to the end with that unknown being and won. However, she did not dare to tell the wizards about it. ¡°Did you think we were fools?¡± ¡°¡­.¡± ¡°We analyzed it so that it would never happen again. In the process¡­ I could guess what Celine was up to. Thank you very much.¡± ¡°¡­I was just doing it to live.¡± ¡°Of course, it must have been.¡± Rose smiled and removed her hand from Celine¡¯s body. ¡°Get some rest. Just watch us do it.¡± Celine blankly watched her movements. As Rose blended into the crowd with the other wizards and took her place, she began to scan the cogs. Little by little, hope swelled in her heart. The magic she uses and the magic they use are not very different. Even though this was a stage, the rules had already been destroyed by Leonhard not functioning as her ¡®enemy.¡¯ ¡®With these people¡­ they can stop that cog.¡¯ The wizards moved in perfect order and attacked the cogs. Staring at it and closing her eyes, Celine wanted to feel the flow of the intricately entangled magical power. ¡®¡­That¡¯s amazing.¡¯ As soon as she analyzed the flow of the magical power, she was amazed at the skills of the magicians belonging to the Imperial Family. They each had strong personalities that could never be matched. The fact that they collaborated with each other was unbelievable. Nonetheless, the wizards belonging to the Imperial Family moved for one goal: to destroy the cogs. ¡°¡­.?¡± Like¡­ ¡­Like the noise in the rhythm game. As she thought that, Celine opened her eyes and got up. Concentrating only on the flow of magic, she could see the condition of the wizards that she could not observe. ¡®¡­It¡¯s not good.¡¯ Her heart was pounding as all the wizards were trembling with white faces. She felt it. ¡­If this continued, they would all die. It seemed like she knew why. ¡®Because what the stage wants is me.¡¯ Celine, who had become complacent with Rose¡¯s words, felt sorry. She even had an urge to jump off this steel structure. Didn¡¯t she already realize that through the rhythm game that the stage had a will itself? She gritted her teeth. ¡®You know what to do. Move it!¡¯ At first, her legs, which did not move properly as if resisting the future, quickly gained momentum and ran forward. ¡°Celine!¡± Rose called from behind, but she didn¡¯t care. Rose, no, nobody here knew about the stage. She was the only one who could solve this situation. More precisely, she was the one who could stop the cogs as she died¡­ For a moment, Celine stopped. ¡®Does it have to be a human body?¡¯ If, instead of a human body, other hard and appropriately sized foreign objects were to be inserted into the cogs¡­ At the thought, she groped her arms without hesitation. There was Ringzor. ¡®I¡¯m sorry, Leonhard.¡¯ She secretly apologized to Leonhard. Ringzor was an item that he had received from the Emperor, and it was an heirloom of the Imperial Family passed down from generation to generation. If she broke it here, he would be angry at her. Still, she knew that he would rather her break Ringzor than risk her own life. Celine carefully took Ringzor out of her arms. ¡®¡­.!¡¯ Her blue-grey eyes widened. Ringzor that was quietly embedded in the scabbard made of magic stones. ¡®Perhaps¡­¡¯ Possessed, she took the scabbard from Ringzor and examined it in every detail. The scabbard, made only of the best magic stones mined in the south, shone brilliantly. Celine gulped. This scabbard was also made by a wizard belonging to the Imperial Family with outstanding skills, so it would not have had a normal level of hardness. Putting Ringzor into her chest, she squeezed the scabbard in her hand before jumping from the structure towards the cogs. ¡°Stop!¡± ¡°Lute Celine¡­!¡± Even though she could hear shouts from behind, it was a step too late. She inserted Ringzor¡¯s scabbard between the largest cog and the next largest cog. ¡ªKiiiickk! A creepy noise came, but Celine did not back down from there. Clinging with one hand to Ringzor¡¯s scabbard, she channeled her power into the scabbard¡¯s magic stones until the magic stones that couldn¡¯t stand the magic applied as a waterfall exploded. ¡ªBang! With an explosion, she was pushed back. ¡°Lute Celine!¡± An unknown wizard quickly took her body and sat her on top of a steel structure. ¡°Why, why did you do that¡­¡± ¡°Look.¡± Celine muttered. ¡°It stopped¡­¡± As the thick green smoke pouring out from the cracks of the cogs began to clear, the half-destroyed cogs came into view through the thinning smoke. Celine buried her face in her hands, unable to control her rising emotions. ¡­The winner this time was her. Not the stage. __ If you find any errors ( broken links, non-standard content, etc.. ), Please let us know via our discord so we can fix it as soon as possible. Chapter 90 Chapter 90 Leonhard Bernoulli hated moments when he felt helpless. Just like right now. ¡®Celine¡­¡¯ He couldn¡¯t bear to say Celine¡¯s name out of his mouth and muttered inside. At first, he had no idea what she was doing above the air. Celine flew over objects that disappeared as soon as she set her foot on them as she was barely holding on in the air. Since he did not know any information Celine knew nor could hear her music, which Celine held onto like a rope, it was only natural that her actions seemed like meaningless movements in the void to his eyes. However, Leonhard knew very well that Celine wasn¡¯t moving desperately for no reason. He observed her Celine. It wasn¡¯t simply because he couldn¡¯t do anything other than that. He was desperate to find something he might be able to help with, a way to help. After a while, Leonhard was able to memorize all of her movement patterns. Celine moved according to a routine that was repeated every fifteen minutes. He clenched his fists. ¡®That¡­ what does it mean?¡¯ Up until now, he hadn¡¯t really questioned Celine¡¯s behavior. He was mostly convinced by her simple words, ¡®I saw it in my dream, I have to do this to break the curse.¡¯ Nevertheless, it was different now. Was she just continuing her painful steps without meaning? There was no guarantee when that would end, either. Even if he trusted her completely, he still had doubts. ¡®¡­.?¡¯ Leonhard¡¯s body stiffened. Celine seemed flustered at first, but she soon regained her balance and moved along with the pattern. But now, she was struggling as she lost her balance. ¡®Why¡­?¡¯ Leonhardt looked at her with eyes that seemed to engulf her. Even though nothing had changed, she stumbled in a great panic as if a sudden earthquake had occurred. Celine didn¡¯t just temporarily lose her balance. Rather, she was moving like a drowning person struggling desperately to stay alive. Leonhard wanted to call her, but he couldn¡¯t. One thoughtless word from him could have distracted her. Still, he couldn¡¯t just watch it like this. At that time, Celine¡¯s movement stopped. At that fleeting moment, he realized that if she didn¡¯t move right away, she would fall out of thin air. ¡°Now, run!¡± Fortunately, Celine ran. After that, he listed all the movements he had memorized. She didn¡¯t say a word though Leonhard knew she was moving solely on his direction. Fortunately, he perfectly memorized her every movement, and she also responded immediately to his every word. ¡®Once this is over, I¡¯ll have to properly ask about the future¡­¡¯ The moment he fell into an easy thought, Celine stopped moving. And soon, she crashed. ¡°Celine¡­!¡± Leonhard thought nothing more, and he flung his body to where Celine was. If he had given any time to think about it, he would have realized how pointless the action was. However, what moved Leonhard now was emotion, not thought. He fell into the air exactly where Celine landed. Celine sat on her knees on the steel structure for a while. The murmur around her did not reach her ears at all. She was only intoxicated with the elation at the fact that she had just won the stage and an anxious foreboding that the stage would continue to sabotage her. ¡°Celine.¡± Someone gave her body a big shake. ¡°Celine!¡± It was only then did she blinked her eyes. It was rose ¡°Rose¡­¡± ¡°Are you okay?¡± ¡°Yes, yes.¡± ¡°I don¡¯t think so at all.¡± Celine staggered and got up. When she came to her senses, the steel structure had already reached the ground. She was not wearing a shield, but she was breathing easily. ¡°The smoke¡­¡± ¡°Everything has stopped.¡± Rose smiled to reassure her. ¡°I¡¯m still checking, but there are no deaths. Everyone is fine.¡± ¡°I see.¡± Celine muttered in relief. ¡®I was worried that someone might have died because I wasted my time¡­ Thank goodness.¡¯ If there were people who died because of her choices, Celine might not be able to forgive herself for a while. Rose asked anxiously. ¡°Are you okay? I heard that your body was very weak¡­ Shall I take you to the hotel?¡± ¡°N, no.¡± Celine shook her head. ¡°I came with¡­ Leonhard.¡± ¡°With Lord Leonhard?¡± Rose looked surprised. ¡°There is no way that Lord Leonhard would send Celine to a place like this alone¡­ Where is he now?¡± Celine blinked her eyes. The last time she saw him was at the top of the tower though there was still no guarantee that he was there. ¡®Perhaps he will come down to find me.¡¯ However, in that case, he must have found her already. She asked Rose to confirm. ¡°Have you not seen Leonhard?¡± ¡°I don¡¯t know.¡± Celine staggered to her feet at those words. Perhaps, Leonhard might still be on top of the tower. At the same time, she ignored the anxiety that was starting to grow on one side of her chest. ¡°Leonhard!¡± As Celine climbed the tower, she kept calling out to Leonhard, but there was no answer. ¡®I don¡¯t know yet. Not yet¡­¡¯ She clung to the fact that she hadn¡¯t reached the top of the tower yet. After a while, she stood at the door on the top floor of the tower. Taking a deep breath, she opened the door. There was nothing. There was only one ordinary room. It was natural since the stage was over. Celine staggered, overcome by devastated emotions. ¡®Leonhard, where are you¡­¡¯ She couldn¡¯t think of looking elsewhere. There was no way that he would have gone elsewhere, leaving her defenseless. She went to the window and looked down. ¡®If, if¡ª¡¯ It was because, just now, an absurd thought popped into her head. What if he threw his body into the air after her? ¡®It can¡¯t be¡­!¡¯ She was somewhat aware of Leonhard¡¯s reckless tendencies. Still, he was not that bad to take such a meaningless and risky action¡­ ¡®¡­.¡¯ She admitted that there was a good chance Leonhard would have done that anyway. Celine bit her lip. Assuming that he fell with her from the tower, but he didn¡¯t show up anywhere right now¡­ ¡®¡­Maybe he passed onto the next stage.¡¯ The thought sounded absurd, but her feelings grew deeper. Leonhard was the cheat key for this game. What if the cheat key intervened on the stage? Of course, he would move on to the next stage, no? She touched her head at the thought. Celine didn¡¯t even know where the next stage was. Perhaps, if she waited, the entire castle might turn into a maze. ¡®But, if I wait like this¡­¡¯ As her head turned dizzy, she learned one thing while fighting the stage through the rhythm game. Now, the stage was trying to hinder her in some way, unlike the previous stage. It was even trying to completely cut her off from receiving help from Leonhard. ¡®The next stage might even try to kill Leonhard.¡¯ Celine gulped. Leonhard was in danger. Leonhard awoke in the dark. Even though he clearly remembered throwing himself into the air, he did not recall the fall or during the fall. ¡°Celine!¡± He frantically called Celine¡¯s name, but nothing came from the darkness. ¡®¡­I¡¯m sure Celine is here somewhere.¡¯ After all, they fell at the same spot. He couldn¡¯t even get a sense of where this strange place was because he couldn¡¯t see forward. Nonetheless, his belief that Celine was somewhere here moved his legs. Leonhard fumbled around his waist. Fortunately, there was Rashir. He took out Rashir right away. The darkness was instantly filled with bluish light. ¡®¡­.?¡¯ Leonhard frowned. While he stood in a dusty aisle that had been untouched for a long time, he wasn¡¯t particularly surprised. Because for the time he was with Celine, it was not just once or twice that he¡¯d been through strange things. He walked slowly, looking around. According to the pattern so far, this place would be full of traps. There was nothing wrong with being careful. ¡®¡­.¡¯ Leonhard sat down on the floor. Even though he didn¡¯t know exactly how much time had passed, he was certain he¡¯d been wandering around here for at least three or four hours. At first, this place, which seemed to be a simple passage, was differentiated into three or four crossroads. Then, those crossroads were also differentiated into three or four other crossroads. Just in case, he marked each one and walked, and before he knew it, he came back to where he started. ¡®A maze, is it¡­¡¯ Leonhard laughed. He crashed in midair, and now, he was trapped in a dark maze where not a ray of light entered¡­ ¡®I wonder if Celine is wandering here, too.¡¯ At least Celine must have arrived here without a single scar since he himself was unscathed. ¡®It¡¯s fortunate.¡¯ Aside from the situation where he heard no answer from her at all, his lips curled, thinking that she would not have been hurt. Contrary to his first guess, the fact that there was no trap here made him relieved. Wandering through this labyrinth, sometime he would meet her. The only thing that mattered was that Celine seemed unlikely to get hurt or die even before he met her. Leonhard smiled and slightly closed his eyes. He wanted to give his tired body a break. However, circumstances did not allow him to rest even for a moment. ¡ªBoom! Leonhard jumped up. ¡®¡­What?¡¯ Certainly, a huge vibration reverberated not far away. He immediately ran towards the direction where he felt the vibration. Without further ado, the biggest possibility was Celine. Thinking that, his heart beat with hope. Leonhard was able to find the source of the vibration without difficulty after a while before he turned the corner with a beating heart. ¡°¡­.¡± Leonhard¡¯s eyes shone coldly. It was a warlock who was spreading vibrations, wanting to collapse the entire aisle. __ If you find any errors ( broken links, non-standard content, etc.. ), Please let us know via our discord so we can fix it as soon as possible. Chapter 91 Chapter 91 ¡®I have to find Leonhard somehow.¡¯ Celine bit her lip. The quest she had to prepare for was not over, so there was a high possibility that the remaining stages were also stages that appeared only after time passed, like the swamp or smoke. ¡®Then, Leonhard¡­¡¯ She closed her eyes tightly. It was because she didn¡¯t even consider the possibility that he had gone to another place she didn¡¯t know of. Until her curse was lifted, Leonhard had promised to protect her with all his might. ¡®Leonhard is not a person who breaks promises.¡¯ There was only one reason he would not seek her. ¡­Because it was impossible for him to find her. Right now, Leonhard might be enduring a stage¡¯s attack, waiting for her to come. So, once she decided to find him, the next thing was easy. ¡®For now¡­ I¡¯ll have to look at this castle first.¡¯ Celine didn¡¯t think it was a coincidence that Livron Castle had turned into the poison stage. In addition to that, the actual location of the swamp stage did not occur in the hideout of the wizards in Livron Castle. Both the swamp and poison areas existed within the castle. Then, the maze, which was the next stage and the final stage of the true ending¡­ ¡®¡­There¡¯s a good chance it¡¯s somewhere in the castle.¡¯ Even if Leonhard was elsewhere, all she could do now was search the castle. Celine opened her eyes. In the meanwhile, the wizard¡¯s murmur died down. Looking around, they all seem to be examining the structure of the cogs. Currently, the only wizard left around her was Rose. Rose gave her a warm smile. ¡°I feel a little better now. I was worried that I might faint.¡± Celine stared at her. She herself did not know much about Livron Castle since she always had Leonhard and Danny by her side. Livron Castle was not a tourist attraction, so there was no way that maps or information boards were well stocked. All she needed was a guide, and the right person for her was right in front of her eyes, and Celine wasn¡¯t the type to miss her chance. ¡°Rose, do you know the imperial palace well?¡± ¡°Well¡­ despite looking like this, since I am a wizard belonging to the Imperial Family, I should know it well, right?¡± As Rose answered shyly, Celine met her eyes. A very brief silence passed. She had no idea what Rose thought of her. She might consider her a trickster or a madman, like Leonhard used to be. But now, the only way to get Rose¡¯s help was to tell her half-truth. ¡°I think I know where Leonhard is. I saw him in a dream.¡± ¡°Wait, Celine, that means¡­¡± ¡°Yes.¡± Celine nodded her head. ¡°I think I have a¡­ vision. It¡¯s a weak one, though.¡± Rose caught her breath. It was generally known that foresight and magical power could not coexist. Rather than because there was no clear reason, it was closer to the fact that such cases had never been reported. ¡°Celine, do you know what that means?¡± Her answer was quite different from what Rose had expected. ¡°Yes. If I don¡¯t find him quickly, Leonhard could die, as I saw in the dream.¡± ¡°¡­.¡± At those words, Rose stared at her, momentarily lost for words. Celine¡¯s eyes were the same as those of the prophets she had always seen. The frightening conviction that their foreknowledge was correct. ¡°Did you talk to Lord Leonhard?¡± ¡°No.¡± Celine frowned. ¡°Leonhard is not one to believe that. And, my vision is¡­ you don¡¯t know exactly until the choice comes.¡± On the contrary, Rose was immediately able to understand her puzzling words. It was because it was a habit of the prophets to say that the future resembles a tangled web rather than a straight road. ¡°Usually, all visions are like that. So, what did you see in your vision?¡± ¡°Leonhardt is in the maze. I don¡¯t know where the maze is¡­ there is no proper light.¡± ¡°Then, it¡¯ll be underground.¡± Celine nodded her head. If the structure on the ground had turned into a labyrinth, the light would have come in from anywhere. Rose frowned. ¡°So, is that labyrinth in Livron Castle?¡± ¡°I don¡¯t know.¡± Celine answered honestly. ¡°Still, there is a good chance it will be in this castle.¡± ¡°So, you¡¯re trying to find it from here¡­¡± Rose kept her mouth shut for a moment, lost in thoughts. ¡°Anyway, it must be hard for that maze to be on the ground. It will stand out. Were there traces of people?¡± ¡°Maybe not.¡± Celine recalled that the poison stage had a completely different background from the game. ¡°It¡¯s just that it wasn¡¯t originally a maze, but it could suddenly turn into a maze¡­¡± ¡°The smoke, did you know?¡± Suddenly, Rose¡¯s attitude, which had been calmly organizing information until now, suddenly changed. Celine felt the coolness and excitement at the same time in her question. It was only then that Celine realized what she would mean to Rose and to the people here¡­ for her to have the power of vision. ¡°¡­The smoke¡ª¡± ¡°That¡¯s okay.¡± Rose let out a sigh. ¡°I don¡¯t mean to reprimand you¡­ As a result, no one died. Celine, as you say, we won¡¯t be able to talk carelessly until something happens.¡± ¡°¡­.¡± ¡°However, don¡¯t go around telling people you have a vision because there will be people who will resent you.¡± Celine only nodded her head instead of answering. Rose was the first person she talked to since Leonhard about the vision. Nonetheless, she had no intention of embarrassing Rose, who was worried about her, by speaking about it. ¡°So, now we just have to find the maze where Lord Leonhardt is trapped? Perhaps an underground labyrinth.¡± ¡°Yes.¡± Celine gulped. ¡°Though as you said before, it may not have been a labyrinth in the first place. I think it¡¯s the underground.¡± ¡°¡­.¡± Rose frowned. ¡°The reason must be that Lord Leonhardt could die if we find him too late.¡± ¡°Exactly.¡± Rose¡¯s face hardened. ¡°That Lord Leonhard¡­¡± ¡°Dead. In my vision¡­¡± Celine felt a slight guilt every time she said something closer to a lie than the truth. However, the stage¡¯s sudden change put her into extreme anxiety, and she would do anything to find Leonhard as soon as possible. ¡°¡­Whoo.¡± Rose sighed again. ¡°I¡¯m sorry, but the scope is really wide¡­ If we looked at all possible places for underground labyrinths, a month would not be enough.¡± Her frustration rose to her lungs. Although she knew that Rose had done nothing wrong, Celine couldn¡¯t contain her disappointment that bordered on anger. Far from being helpful right now, Rose was just saying that looking for Leonhardt was impossible. ¡°¡­Rose, if you can¡¯t help, say so. I will look for it even if I am alone.¡± ¡°It¡¯s not like that.¡± Rose hurriedly shook her head in denial. ¡°Celine, think differently. Lord Leonhardt grew up in this castle. Of course, there are underground spaces that are easily accessible even now. Whether it¡¯s confidential or not.¡± ¡°¡­.!¡± ¡°What we need to find is¡­ even if we know its existence and want to approach it, it is an underground space that we cannot easily enter.¡± A strange heat burned in Rose¡¯s eyes. ¡°As far as I know, there is only one. Coincidentally, that place is also a maze. An underground labyrinth with all entrances blocked¡­ Now, the knight¡¯s quarters should have been built above. How about it? Should we go?¡± It was needless to say. When the mysterious green smoke cleared, the Paradiso Knights were half-rolling on the ground, exhausted. Some people would probably frown at the fact that members of the Carpathia group were showing such rude behaviour, but they didn¡¯t care. They saved most of the people living in Libron Castle. Of course, they had to exclude the royal family and nobles who were able to escape with their exclusive wizards. The only person sitting upright was the knight commander, Bart. ¡°Are, are you Commander Bart?¡± Bart raised an eyebrow. The person who exhaled heavily and asked him was obviously wearing the outfit of an imperial messenger though Bart had never seen this face before. ¡°Yes. What happened?¡± ¡°At, at the dorm¡­¡± ¡°Dorm?¡± His body stiffened at the word. The lodging they were now staying in was the villa of the Grand Duchy, given to them as a favor by Leonhardt. However, why did the imperial messenger deliver the problems that occurred in the Grand Duchy¡¯s villa? Bart quickly realized the answer. ¡®¡­The original dorm.¡¯ Although Leonhard himself received permission from the Imperial Family, the official residence of the Paradiso Knights was in Livron Castle. He sighed. Didn¡¯t Leonhard Bernoulli himself declares that the lodging could not hardly be used? ¡°Lord Leonhardt said that the dorm was uninhabitable, so we moved out. His Majesty knows it.¡± ¡°Yes, yes. I know that. However¡­¡± The messenger was sweating profusely. ¡°Now, that place is exceptionally strange.¡± ¡°What are you talking about?¡± ¡°Should I say it feels haunted¡­¡± Bart frowned. According to Leonhardt, whom he believed fervently, the place was teeming with ghosts. He wouldn¡¯t be surprised if there were a new person who stepped in unknowingly and ran away. ¡°It is a fact that we already know.¡± ¡°Is¡­ is it so.¡± Finally, the messenger took out his handkerchief and wiped his sweat. ¡°If you don¡¯t go now¡­ I think you will only see it after it collapses.¡± ¡°¡­.!¡± Bart¡¯s face contorted for an instant. ¡°What do you mean?¡± ¡°Only that place is shaking as if there was an earthquake.¡± ¡°You should have said that earlier¡ª!¡± Bart screamed in amazement and jumped up. ¡°What? From the beginning, I¡­¡± ¡°You just said it looks like it¡¯s haunted? It was originally a haunted building!¡± Saying so, Bart quickly scanned through the members. All of them were slumped on the floor, blinking in bewilderment as if they hadn¡¯t even heard his voice. ¡®¡­I don¡¯t have anyone to take.¡¯ Still, he didn¡¯t even feel like blaming the members. They used up all the power they had to save the people in the castle. He looked down at the lying members and opened his mouth. ¡°Listen carefully. They said that something strange had happened to our original quarters. I¡¯ll be back for a while to check. Everyone, go back to the mansion and get some rest.¡± ¡°Are you going alone?¡± ¡°Yes. I¡¯ll look around for a while and come back so you guys don¡¯t have to follow me.¡± If any of the members had even a little bit of strength left, he would have followed him right away. Nonetheless, they all only nodded their heads helplessly because they were at a loss from returning to the Grand Duchy¡¯s villa. Bart quickly followed the messenger. __ If you find any errors ( broken links, non-standard content, etc.. ), Please let us know via our discord so we can fix it as soon as possible. Chapter 92 Chapter 92 Rose didn¡¯t want Celine to walk across Livron Castle, as she had already put everything in her power to stop the cogs. So, she asked for horses, a carriage and a coachman who did not inhale the smoke before picking Celine up. ¡°You don¡¯t have to do this¡­¡± ¡°So, are you going to walk?¡± ¡°¡­That is too much.¡± ¡°See?¡± Rose smiled and leaned back against her backrest. ¡°Rest a bit. If Lord Leonhard is really trapped in that maze, it will take a year to find him.¡± ¡°Tell me about the maze.¡± ¡°Hmm¡­¡± Rose frowned. ¡°As far as I know, no one has ever been inside and returned alive in recent hundreds of years?¡± ¡°¡­.¡± ¡°I don¡¯t know anything other than that. Oh, I think I¡¯ve heard that it¡¯s full of ghosts.¡± Celine gulped. The more she listened to what Rose said, the stronger she felt that the stage was the knights¡¯ lodging they were heading to. ¡°Where is the location?¡± ¡°It¡¯s a corner.¡± Rose laughed softly. ¡°It was a building that was used only to intimidate disobedient knights for generations.¡± ¡®¡­No way.¡¯ ¡°The current Carpathia received the building, but what did they do as soon as they became Carpathia¡­¡± Rose clicked her tongue low. ¡®¡­.¡¯ Celine couldn¡¯t stop her stiffening face. ¡®¡­The Knights of Paradiso received a building like that.¡¯ Even though she didn¡¯t know much about the knights, she was able to make a judgment based on what she had seen with the Knights of Paradiso. They were clearly being treated unfairly. ¡®Even so, they cut monsters¡­ similar to Leonhard.¡¯ Celine sighed. She obviously couldn¡¯t blame the Knights of Paradiso or people like Leonhard. However, whenever she confirmed that they would only suffer damage rather than a reward for their achievements, her heart felt tight. ¡°Think positively. First of all, the fact that there is a knight currently in use of the building maybe isn¡¯t as bad as the rumors say¡­ Ack!¡± Rose let out a small scream as the carriage rocked greatly. ¡°What is going on?¡± She raised her voice loudly and asked the coachman. ¡°It¡¯s, it¡¯s like an earthquake! Get off!¡± ¡°What¡­?¡± Though before they could get off, the frightened horse started to run somewhere at full speed. ¡°Should, shouldn¡¯t we stop?¡± ¡°¡­Leave it to me.¡± Rose looked out of the window for a moment before she took a deep breath. ¡ªWhoosh! With a roar, the entire carriage rose into the air, but it did not fall back to the ground. Celine couldn¡¯t figure out the situation, so she just sat there, frozen in her seat. Meanwhile, the carriage was half overturned, but they did not suffer any shocks. Rose calmly opened the door. ¡°Let¡¯s go.¡± ¡°What¡­?¡± ¡°It¡¯s okay.¡± Then, she smiled and took Celine¡¯s hand. ¡°We just arrived nearby. I was worried that it would go to a very distant place.¡± Celine hesitantly slipped through the knocked-down door. A haggard-looking coachman looked at them with his knees on the ground. ¡°Lute! The, the carriage¡­¡± Rose apologized with an expression that didn¡¯t look apologetic at all. ¡°I¡¯m sorry. Because of the mission, I couldn¡¯t help it. Charge double the price of the carriage to the imperial family. If you can¡¯t find a horse, include the horse too.¡± Celine realized they were on top of a fairly large pile of dirt. The carriage, which seemed to have been forced off the horses, was half-embedded in the soft earth. Since she was also a wizard, Celine did not have to listen to detailed explanations from Rose. She thanked Rose by descending the mound. ¡°Thank you.¡± ¡°Celine saved my life too, so I can do this much?¡± At those words, she blushed. ¡°Don¡¯t be too much. It was because I didn¡¯t want to lose my life.¡± ¡°You¡¯re too humble, aren¡¯t you?¡± ¡°¡­.?¡± ¡°In any case, it is true that dozens of wizards, including myself, were saved. If you¡¯ve done such a great job, show off. You can¡¯t save face.¡± Celine laughed instead of answering. Suddenly, the ground roared again. ¡®At a time like this, an earthquake¡­¡¯ At the sudden realization, she bit her lips. ¡®¡­It can¡¯t be a coincidence.¡¯ Naturally, this earthquake would also be part of the stage. Celine remembered that the next stage was an ¡®underground¡¯ maze. ¡®Could it be that the ground cracked open to reveal the labyrinth?¡¯ However, Rose gave her no time to stop and think. ¡°Celine, it may be difficult, but move. If we stay like this, there will be no point in coming here.¡± She obediently followed Rose¡¯s words. Even if the ground cracks, the labyrinth would appear near the Knights Building. After a while, they arrived at the entrance of the Knights Building. ¡®It¡¯s better than I thought?¡¯ Celine took a closer look at the building, amazed at how well-maintained it was, surprisingly for a haunted building. It was as well-maintained as any other building she had ever seen in Livron Castle. Even though the ground still shook, they staggered forward. Fortunately, the vibration was not enough to destroy the building. Just a little uncomfortable. ¡®¡­A horse?¡¯ Celine blinked her eyes. In the hallway that she saw as soon as she entered the entrance, a horse was pacing. ¡°Looks like someone is here.¡± Rose was also a little surprised. ¡°In this building¡­ who is it?¡± They immediately knew the identity of the person riding the horse. ¡°Lute Celine?¡± ¡°¡­Commander Bart?¡± Celine looked at the leader of the Knights of Paradiso, who was covered in sweat and dust from his head to his toes, and she asked blankly. ¡°What are you doing here?¡± ¡°¡­That¡¯s what I should ask Lute¡­ Oh, I heard that only this building was shaking, so I came in to look inside.¡± ¡°Did the outside ground shake?¡± ¡°It can¡¯t be!¡± The commander exclaimed in surprise. ¡°I came here because a messenger told me that only this building was shaking strangely. I came to see that it actually was. Are you not mistaken that the ground outside is shaking?¡± ¡°¡­Before we even reached this place, the ground shook so much that the horses jumped in fright. Of course, I thought it was an earthquake.¡± As Celine explains to Bart, Rose bites her lip and thinks for a moment before opening her mouth. ¡°Anyway, the vibration seems to be getting bigger and bigger. If we leave it like this¡­¡± Even though she didn¡¯t need to finish her words, both Bart and Celine could understand what they meant. ¡°This vibration, too, is something that needs to be stopped.¡± Celine muttered blankly. This was one of the things she hadn¡¯t experienced in her game. Bart spoke cautiously ¡°Before, Lord Leonhard¡­ mentioned that this place is teeming with ghosts. He can¡¯t do anything about it.¡± ¡°Leonhard?¡± At the name, her eyes widened as Celine doubted her ears for a moment. Although Leonhard struggled a little with the ghost, it didn¡¯t seem too much of a difficult opponent that he couldn¡¯t do anything about it. ¡°Yes. In fact, it was thanks to Lord Leonhard that we were able to get out of here. Lord Leonhard allowed us to stay at the Grand Duchy¡¯s mansion¡­¡± ¡°¡­Is that so.¡± She was surprised at first but soon discovered that she wasn¡¯t too surprised. After all, it was a Leonhard-like solution¡­ giving one¡¯s own while hurting the least number of people. At that time, Bart urged the answer to the unanswered question. ¡°So, for Lute, why are you here¡­?¡± ¡°¡­.¡± As Rose clamped her mouth shut, Celine could see that she had fully surrendered her choice of how far she would go to tell Bart. ¡°Leonhard might be in a maze down here.¡± ¡°What¡­?¡± Bart jumped up halfway off the ground, terrified. ¡°Are, are you kidding?¡± ¡°No.¡± Celine shook her head. ¡°Then, this vibration¡­!¡± ¡°Maybe.¡± Bart stared at Celine, his mouth gaping open. ¡°¡­For Lord Leonhard, it¡¯s really¡ª¡± ¡°Reckless. I know.¡± ¡°No.¡± Bart shook his head. ¡°I was going to tell you that he is great.¡± The next moment, he informed them of the existence of doors that seemed to be related to the underground maze. ¡°Are you saying Leonhard was surprised at the last door?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± Bart nodded his head. ¡°If Lord Leonhard had entered this building to root out the ghosts¡­ there is only that door.¡± Celine grimaced. Of course, the possibility of him being in this underground maze had nothing to do with the ghosts. However, she remembered the beginning of the maze stage that culminates at the end of [ Celine¡¯s Nightmare ] ¡®¡­The ghosts rushed in and then disappeared.¡¯ It was a simple introductory video that had no effect on the main character. Although the impact was quite large, there were players who screamed in surprise at that part. ¡°I¡¯ll go through that door.¡± After a while, they eventually arrived at a kitchen that seemed to have been actively used not so long ago. ¡°Is that door here?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± Bart sighed. ¡°Who would have known that there would be such a heinous thing in a place where people eat food¡­¡± ¡°¡­.!¡± Both Celine and Rose gasped in surprise. On the kitchen floor, there was a huge door. ¡°I don¡¯t understand why they left it as it is.¡± ¡°Maybe it didn¡¯t open properly when they tried to open it, so they just left it there.¡± Bart yanked the doorknob vigorously though the door did not budge. ¡°¡­You¡¯re not very intimidated.¡± ¡°On the first day we came here, the idiot who got curious and pulled at the door was my cousin.¡± ¡°¡­.¡± Celine studied the door attached to the floor for a long time. The massive door, which seemed like a tall person couldn¡¯t cover it even if he lay down, looked heavy even without a hand. She grabbed the doorknob. ¡°Are you going to use¡­ magic now?¡± ¡°Celine?¡± She ignored Bart and Rose¡¯s indirect objection and pulled on the doorknob without any magic. ¡ªKiik. The door opened upwards. ¡°How, how did you do it?¡± ¡°It just opens.¡± Celine took a deep breath and looked at Bart and Rose. ¡°Thank you for helping me get this far. Both of you.¡± ¡°Celine, what is that¡­¡± Celine ignored Rose¡¯s words. ¡°I think I can find Leonhard by myself now. So, Commander and Rose, please go back now. I will contact you when I bring Leonhard out.¡± She spoke with sincerity. Even considering the possibility that the true ending route would change, there was a high probability that what was waiting for her was the final stage of [ Celine¡¯s Nightmare ]. It would be easy to predict that the level of difficulty would far exceed the stages that Celine and Leonhard had gone through so far. ¡°¡­I can¡¯t.¡± ¡°I can¡¯t send you alone, too, Lute Celine.¡± Celine shook her head quickly. ¡®As expected, this is the only way.¡¯ As she opened her mouth slowly, she tried to give her own voice the utmost authority as she answered. ¡°If you go down there, you all die.¡± She looked straight at Rose with eyes full of strength. ¡°This is foreknowledge.¡± __ If you find any errors ( broken links, non-standard content, etc.. ), Please let us know via our discord so we can fix it as soon as possible. Chapter 93 Chapter 93 Bart¡¯s eyes popped out. ¡°Lute, don¡¯t joke.¡± ¡°Celine, don¡¯t lie.¡± Rose answered half a beat later than Bart, who responded reflexively though she seemed to have a good grasp of the situation. ¡°Do you think I will fall for such a threat?¡± ¡°¡­Rose.¡± ¡°Lu, Lute Rose. What you¡¯re saying is¡­¡± ¡°Celine, don¡¯t lie to me by claiming that you have foresight.¡± Listening to the conversation, Bart glanced back and forth between Rose and Celine before he stammered out a few words of astonishment. ¡°Lute Celine¡­is really¡­ a prophet?¡± Rose glanced at Celine and sighed. ¡°Don¡¯t go around saying that.¡± ¡°¡­It¡¯s not a lie that you two will die.¡± She was so taken aback that Rose immediately realized that she had been lying, so she couldn¡¯t respond. Celine¡¯s expectation was that she would back down if she trusted her foresight. However, Rose acted like she didn¡¯t believe in prophecies at all. ¡°But that¡¯s not foresight, is it?¡± ¡°¡­.¡± ¡°I don¡¯t think you¡¯ve ever met other prophets, but if you have a chance, let¡¯s meet. It will help you a lot.¡± ¡°¡­I will go down here alone.¡± Celine repeated her words again. Rose snorted. ¡°Then, I might as well make a prophecy that Celine would die if you went here alone.¡± ¡°¡­.¡± Celine shut her mouth. Rose could have been right. Nonetheless, she had no intention of letting her know that her dying was different from her dying or Bart¡¯s. ¡°Because we weren¡¯t helpful¡­¡± ¡°That¡¯s not true.¡± Celine immediately shook her head at Bart¡¯s somewhat hurtful words. ¡°No, because down there is dangerous. That¡­ I can tell.¡± ¡°If it¡¯s dangerous, shouldn¡¯t it be more so that we go together? I¡¯m going to find some more people to help me out.¡± ¡°It¡¯s a good idea.¡± Rose was delighted. ¡°I can also bring a few more wizards to help. How is it, Celine?¡± ¡°¡­.¡± She knew at least that Bart and Rose didn¡¯t mean anything. Whatever the reason, the fact that Leonhard was trapped in a labyrinth virtually off-limits was not something that deserved publicity. Bart, who didn¡¯t know the exact circumstances, must have noticed the situation even if he saw that only they were looking for Leonhard, not the search team. ¡°I¡¯m kidding.¡± Rose broke the silence by waving her hand. ¡°No one will want to come in here. Isn¡¯t that the same for the Knights, Commander?¡± ¡°You¡¯re right.¡± ¡°Then why¡­¡± ¡°Why are we so insisting on going? You still don¡¯t know?¡± Rose made a frustrated impression. ¡°Celine, I don¡¯t know how many times I have to tell you. I owe you my life. It is time to pay it back.¡± Bart nodded firmly. ¡°I, too, have sworn allegiance to Lord Leonhard.¡± Celine gazed at them. ¡®¡­How far can I trust these people?¡¯ Eventually, she opened her mouth slowly. ¡°Follow me. Instead, do not tell anyone what you saw below.¡± ¡°That is not difficult.¡± ¡°¡­Whatever happens, promise me you won¡¯t tell.¡± At those words, Rose and Bart immediately said yes. Celine bit her lip. ¡°And promise me one more thing.¡± ¡°¡­What is it?¡± ¡°I¡­if I tell you to go back, that¡¯s the moment where you really have to go back.¡± ¡°Is it a foresight?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± Celine nodded her head. ¡°Does Rose agree to this?¡± ¡°¡­Well, that¡¯s about it.¡± Rose slightly furrowed her forehead. ¡°Anyway, my life is too precious. It will be the same for the Commander here.¡± ¡°That¡¯s right.¡± Celine stroked her chest. Down here was the stage, so there should be this level of preparedness. As she slowly stepped her foot into the darkness, there was a strong stench of musty dampness mixed with long-accumulated dust. The old stairs, which were still in shape, creaked. While they descended the stairs, the air, much colder than outside, began to surround them. ¡°It¡¯s not a joke from the start.¡± She heard Bart muttering, shivering in the icy air. Celine gulped. According to the game, this front¡­ For a moment, none of the three could see as neither darkness nor light completely blocked their vision. Everyone just stood still, frozen, unmoving. The whitish ghosts clung to them all like a huge membrane. ¡®It¡¯s different from back then.¡¯ Fortunately, these were different from the aggressive ghosts Celine had experienced before. They just clung to them, unable to move. ¡°They seem to be blocking this place.¡± Rose broke the silence. ¡°I think it¡¯s just telling us to go back.¡± ¡°I can¡¯t believe Lord Leonhard passed through this.¡± Bart groaned. Even though Celine tried to gather her magic to disperse the ghosts, she couldn¡¯t gather her magic properly, as if she was blocked in all directions. ¡°Magic doesn¡¯t work at all. It seems that these are also blocking the magic.¡± Almost as soon as Rose finished speaking, the sound of Bart swinging his sword came. ¡°Commander¡­!¡± Celine immediately stopped him, but Bart continued to swing his sword. ¡°¡­.?¡± ¡°Everyone, please stay still.¡± Even the words feel somewhat triumphant. Celine blinked her eyes, a little embarrassed. Because of her hazy vision, she couldn¡¯t see anything, so she couldn¡¯t really see what was going on. The next moment, there was a blade right in front of her nose. It was only then did she realized, as she was about to scream, that her vision was completely cleared. Meanwhile, Bart was smiling proudly in front of her. ¡°Ho, how¡­¡± ¡°It was just cut with a sword. Look.¡± Bart pointed to the floor. As she lowered her head, she saw pale jelly-like things piled up on the floor. Celine bent down and touched it with her hand. Feeling as if she had put her hand in the white smoke of dry ice, she hurriedly withdrew her hand. ¡°A ghost cut with a knife. It¡¯s a rare experience.¡± He was very curious. ¡°I think it¡¯s hard to call it a ghost.¡± Rose said as she stuck her hand into the pale lump on the floor like Celine, then pulled it out. ¡°I wonder if it¡¯s an existence imitating a ghost¡­ I think the purpose was just to block entry.¡± Celine nodded her head. ¡°At that time, the only people coming here to defeat the ghosts would be wizards, so blocking the magic would have been enough.¡± After Celine made sure that no one was hurt, she quickly moved forward. In [ Celine¡¯s Nightmare ], the labyrinth had no enemies or traps except for Leonhard, who was chasing the main character. There was no way Leonhard would attack her now, so they just needed to find him as quickly as possible. Of course, there could be a variation of the true ending route, so she could not relax. After a while. Time passed until all three of them were clearly feeling exhausted. Fortunately, Rose had marked along the way, so they never took the same route twice. Still, even after looking at a considerable distance, they could not sense Leonhard¡¯s presence. ¡°¡­What is that?¡± Suddenly Bart stopped, and he looked at the wall some distance away from them. Goosebumps stood up on Celine¡¯s back. On the old walls, there were traces of burns and sword cuts. It didn¡¯t look old, seeing how burnt it was. ¡°It¡¯s Leonhard.¡± ¡°I think so, too.¡± Rose also nodded her head. ¡°By the way, where is Lord Leonhardt? If he were around here, he would have heard us¡­¡± ¡°Isn¡¯t it possible that he can¡¯t hear the sound?¡± Bart spewed speculation. ¡°The ghosts at the entrance were easy to deal with, but the ghosts that Lord Leonhard had previously been reluctant to deal with must have been tricky. After chasing them¡­¡± ¡°¡­.¡± Celine made eye contact with Rose as she listened to Bart¡¯s completely wrong guess. ¡®Well, maybe Bart¡¯s guess wasn¡¯t completely wrong.¡¯ There was also the possibility that Leonhardt was imprisoned somewhere. She needed a better way than navigating the maze as they do now. ¡°Or, wouldn¡¯t it be that Lord Leonhardt is constantly running into trouble?¡± Rose said as she suddenly thought of it. ¡°I¡¯ve been thinking about that, too¡­ so wouldn¡¯t the marks be different?¡± ¡°We just crossed the mark. And since Lord Leonhard doesn¡¯t know that we¡¯ve entered as well, he may not even mark himself.¡± ¡°¡­.!¡± ¡°He could be close to us, but it¡¯s possible that Leonhardt is still hovering around somewhere he can¡¯t hear us.¡± ¡°It is.¡± Rose nodded her head. ¡®Why didn¡¯t I think of that?¡¯ Celine was so pathetic that she could not even think of such a simple thing. The next moment, Rose suggested in a brighter voice. ¡°Shall I make a vibration? Then Lord Leonhardt might think it¡¯s strange and come this way.¡± ¡°Isn¡¯t it possible that he thinks it¡¯s dangerous and goes in the wrong direction at all?¡± Rose snorted. ¡°Commander, do you think Lord Leonhard is that kind of person?¡± Bart shook his head, and Celine smiled bitterly. ¡®Yes, Leonhard is definitely not that type.¡¯ Usually, there were times when she felt resentful of Leonhard¡¯s personality, like times when he felt like a moth jumping into a fire. Nonetheless, for now, as Rose said, it would help. Celine went up to the wall and put her hands up. She immediately thought of making the entire wall vibrate, as Rose said. ¡°Celine, wait.¡± ¡°¡­.?¡± ¡°I will do it. You are already very tired.¡± ¡°Ah¡­¡± Only then did Celine realize that her tiredness, which she had tried so hard to ignore, was wriggling beneath? ¡°Get some rest. I don¡¯t know how many times I say this.¡± Rose put her hand on the wall. ¡°Back off.¡± Celine took five or six steps back with Bart. A flow of magical power was felt near Rose, and the entire aisle they were in began to vibrate strongly. Since it was hard for them to stand still, Celine sat down on the floor with Bart. ¡°Even I don¡¯t have infinite magic¡­ we should try moving places.¡± However, they didn¡¯t have to move from place to place. After about ten minutes, the person they had been waiting for appeared, but none of the three could welcome him. ¡°Leonhar¡ª!¡± A scream mixed with his name erupted from Celine¡¯s lips. Leonhard, whose whole body was covered with blood, slammed the raised Rashir directly at Rose. It was the moment Celine¡¯s nightmare became a reality. __ If you find any errors ( broken links, non-standard content, etc.. ), Please let us know via our discord so we can fix it as soon as possible. Chapter 94 Chapter 94 Fortunately, Rose barely escaped Leonhard¡¯s attack. ¡°Lord Leonhard, what are you doing?!¡± She didn¡¯t attack Leonhard. It was because no matter how powerful magic was, it would be useless in front of him. What could be more contradictory than a wizard belonging to the Imperial Family attacking Leonhard Bernoulli? Of course, the opposite was also true. ¡°I don¡¯t know why you¡¯re doing this¡­¡± Her words were cut short by Leonhard¡¯s repeated attacks. She barely managed to dodge his attacks as she watched Rashir¡¯s trail with her eyes full of surprise. ¡°Everyone avoid it!¡± Rose screamed at the top of her lungs. Even in an urgent situation, her mind, which returned quickly, came to only one conclusion. ¡®This is not Lord Leonhard.¡¯ This was obviously the ghost sleeping in this maze or a monster the Empire had never reported to before. ¡®¡­Maybe it¡¯s a trick of a warlock.¡¯ Even though she didn¡¯t feel the presence of the warlock at all, she didn¡¯t know what the people would do. Rose drew on her magic to the fullest as she had noticed long ago that Celine had reached her limits. ¡®What would have happened if you hadn¡¯t brought me here, Celine.¡¯ Her eyes lit up. Now, she was the only one who could save them. Leonhard made a grimace on his face. ¡°Lord Leonhard, what are you doing!¡± The warlock screamed as if it was impossible for him to attack her. Still, he didn¡¯t bother to answer. It was as natural for him to kill a warlock as how the sun rose in the morning and the moon climbed at night. He silently swung Rashir at the warlock. ¡®¡­It¡¯s strange.¡¯ Before he could even compete a few moves, Leonhard could sense something was off. Unlike other warlocks, this warlock didn¡¯t attack him, she just dodged him. Of course, he had seen several warlocks running away as soon as they saw him though this warlock did not run away. She just dodged his attack. At that time, another warlock appeared from the darkness. ¡°Leonhard!¡± ¡°¡­.?¡± Leonhard froze. It wasn¡¯t because the other warlock called her friendly as if she knew him personally. ¡®Two warlocks?¡¯ He had never seen a warlock moving together. In the first place, warlocks were far away from actively interacting and helping each other through their own methods. When warlocks appeared in the same area, it was the exact opposite. As a new warlock appeared in an area with an old warlock, it was common to leave for a distant area with the help of the old warlock. However, if a new warlock refuses to leave for another area, or if two warlocks manifest in the same area at the same time¡­ They fought like beasts until one of them died. Leonhard had witnessed the scene only once. He could still see the winner drinking the blood of the loser and being elevated like a drug. ¡®By the way, these guys¡­¡¯ His head hurt. Their presence in this maze right now was completely unexpected. In addition to that, a new type of warlock. At that moment, he realized something even more strange. ¡®There are two of them, but I didn¡¯t even notice that there was a warlock.¡¯ ¡­Two warlocks. Even if they were warlocks who were good at hiding their presence, it was close to impossible to hide their unique evil energy to this extent. Leonhard shook his head slightly and brushed off his thoughts. Perhaps this maze gave the warlocks better hiding. The only thing that mattered to him right now was to kill those warlocks in front of him. He lifted Rashir again. He met the second warlock¡¯s terrified eyes but thought nothing of it. Hadn¡¯t he done it hundreds of times so far? ¡°Leonhard!¡± He paused for a moment. There was something familiar about the sound of this warlock calling him. ¡®¡­Was she a wizard I knew in the past?¡¯ His forehead furrowed at the bitter thought. This was the underground maze of the Imperial Palace. It wouldn¡¯t be strange if a wizard belonging to the Imperial Family, who had a passing relationship with him in the past, became a warlock and hid here. ¡®Perhaps, the warlock who infiltrated the Crown Princes was not the one in Agathirsus itself.¡¯ The result of this, or these people joining together with the warlock of Agathirsus, must have been the one who caused a disturbance in the Crown Prince¡¯s Palace. He was satisfied with his logical conclusion and mechanically attacked the warlock in front of his eyes. ¡®¡­.?¡± This warlock was more bizarre than the first warlock. She called his name while avoiding his attack with minimal movement. ¡°Leonhard, Leonhard!¡± ¡°Celine, wake up! That person is not Lord Leonhard. Run away!¡± ¡°¡­What?¡± A blank word escaped from Leonhard¡¯s mouth. If his ears weren¡¯t wrong, the first warlock just called the second warlock Celine. ¡®It¡¯s Celine.¡¯ He soon regretted letting the stupid words spill out of his mouth. It was because the second warlock immediately dug into it with pleasure. ¡°Leonhard, can you recognize me? It¡¯s me, Celine!¡± He tried to ignore the warlock¡¯s words. He had heard various nonsense from warlocks screaming frantically right before their deaths, though he had never heard anything as absurd as this one. He gritted and spat out. The anger that started in his head spread all over his body, making him feel the heat. ¡°Shut up. That¡¯s not a name for a warlock to dare put on his lips?¡± ¡°Leonhard¡­!¡± Surprisingly, the warlock posing as Celine was genuinely shocked. It even felt very similar to her voice. Leonhard discovered a few more things in common between the warlock and Celine. The warlock in front of him was bright blonde like Celine and had large blue-gray eyes. Even the clothes were similar to her favorite winter dresses for activities. However, this person was a warlock. ¡­It was by no means Celine. ¡®Yes, even appearance can mislead me.¡¯ In general, warlocks did not change their appearance or try to trick with it since there was no need for that. But in case they need to¡­ The fact that people¡¯s eyes were easily seduced could be used to fool them. ¡®¡­Ha.¡¯ Leonhard knew that he didn¡¯t have to reveal the true form of the warlock in front of him. If he killed the warlock anyway, she would return to her true form. ¡°Leonhard, do you really not recognize me? Really?¡± But now, the warlock¡¯s heinous appearance, which was even crying, urged him to fully reveal her true identity before killing her. His face hardened as much as it distorted. ¡®¡­That person brought it on herself.¡¯ He no longer wielded Rashir to kill the warlock. He moved Rashir more delicately, just enough to break the enchantment magic the warlock was wearing. It was a move that the warlock in front of him never expected. ¡®¡­.?¡¯ Leonhard paused for a moment. Obviously, he didn¡¯t feel the delusion magic that should be there. ¡®It can¡¯t be¡­¡¯ The warlock in front of him looked exactly like Celine. She had the same voice as Celine and wore the same clothes as Celine¡­ it was the natural appearance of a warlock, without any deceptive magic. He was able to exercise his last remaining restraint and not drop Rashir. ¡°Celine¡­!¡± He threw Celine¡¯s name out of his mouth. His head was dizzy. For the first time in his life, he didn¡¯t know what to do with the warlock in front of him. ¡®¡­I¡¯d rather die.¡¯ It was the only clear thought that came to his jumbled head. Celine struggled to keep her balance even as she was overcome with despair. Leonhard didn¡¯t recognize her. More precisely, he completely mistook her and Rose for warlocks. And she knew the exact cause. ¡®¡­It¡¯s the stage.¡¯ Until now, Leonhard¡¯s excessive movement as a cheat key was the root of the problem. The stage, which did not want any more cheats, eventually influenced Leonhard and made him hostile. The guilt gripped her heart and wouldn¡¯t let go. Not just her, but also Rose. ¡°Run now! This, I will try to do something about it!¡± Celine threw herself in front of Rose, who was screaming, blocking Leonhard. ¡®Rose thinks this is something other than Leonhard.¡¯ Bitterness swallowed Celine. Rose¡¯s thoughts were obvious. After all, how could she possibly think that this lunatic who cut down a decent wizard was Leonhard Bernoulli? ¡­Except for the one person who knows about [ Celine¡¯s Nightmare ]. She gazed straight at Leonhard. It was still him, whom she knew well, not the Leonhard, who was slaughtering the heroine in the game. ¡°Leonhard!¡± She moved minimally to avoid Leonhard¡¯s attack. It was easier than she thought. In the beginning, fighting with Leonhard was her daily routine. Celine knew almost all the patterns he used to attack warlocks. Then, Rose¡¯s voice came. ¡°Celine, wake up! That person is not Lord Leonhard. Run away!¡± Leonhard¡¯s movement slowed very slightly. ¡°¡­What?¡± Celine thanked Rose with all her heart. In an instant, hope flashed in this dark underground maze. She repeatedly shouted at him that she was Celine. She thought this situation would not be resolved in such a simple way because she couldn¡¯t bear to fight against Leonhard. ¡®It¡¯s okay if Leonhard kills me because I will live again. Then, he might recognize me.¡¯ Fortunately, it seemed to have an effect. It was because Leonhard gently touched her surroundings with Rashir as if he was checking to see if there was any delusion magic. At that moment¡­ Leonhard¡¯s eyes opened wide, and his whole body stiffened. ¡®He recognized me¡­!¡¯ She slowly approached him, feeling relief and joy swell in her heart. However, Leonhard didn¡¯t hug her or smile like he usually did. He spat out her name stiffly again. Read latest Chapters at WuxiaWorld.Site Only ¡°Celine¡­!¡± Celine had a hunch. ¡­The situation did not improve at all. __ Chapter 95 Chapter 95 It was a very fleeting moment. Leonhard saw that Celine, standing proudly in front of him, was not a warlock. However, that magical moment was gone in an instant like early spring snow. For a moment, the blue-gray eyes that seemed to sparkle were immersed in the dark aura unique to warlocks. He had no choice but to admit the harsh reality. Celine was a warlock. He barely swallowed the stinging lump that heated up his entire body as his head froze completely and couldn¡¯t think at all. The mind that had been moving him for so long shouted at him to slash the warlock right in front of him, but he couldn¡¯t move his body. Leonhard pursed his lips, not even realizing what he wanted to say. ¡®Celine¡­¡¯ Right then. Celine turned and started running. ¡®¡­.!¡¯ Leonhard instinctively began to pursue her. ¡°Celine¡­!¡± The moment Leonhard called her name, she knew right away that something was very wrong. He clearly recognized her. However, instead of a smile of relief, Leonhardt showed a look of astonishment and horror. ¡®He thinks¡­ I have become a warlock.¡¯ Celine stumbled back. If he thought a little rationally, he would know that becoming a warlock was impossible. She just separated from Leonhard just a few hours ago. It was not enough time for a wizard to turn into a warlock. Nonetheless, the stage was making Leonhard mistake her for a warlock, and the chances of him coming to his senses by the end of this stage were extremely slim. ¡®Ah¡­!¡¯¡¯ A small hope swelled in Celine¡¯s heart. It wasn¡¯t that Leonhard was suddenly insane and mistook her for a warlock. It was because of the stage that neither she nor Leonhardt could do anything about. So, at the end of the stage¡­ Leonhard¡¯s delusion will also end. She remembered the maze stage in the game. It was a very simple stage, all they had to do was escape the maze by avoiding the chasing Leonhardt Bernoulli. As it was the last stage, the difficulty wasn¡¯t that simple. ¡®It¡¯s still the same now.¡¯ Celine cupped her trembling hands. ¡®If we run away¡­ Leonhard will come after. I have to find a way out of that situation somehow.¡¯ As she turned her back, in an instant, she felt Rose and Bart¡¯s eyes on her. She didn¡¯t have to put it into words. The three started running away almost simultaneously. Celine realized a major problem almost immediately after starting. Instinctively, the three retook the path they had marked so far. She calmly judged while constantly moving her legs. ¡®If I continue like this, I will never be able to clear the stage.¡¯ But she didn¡¯t have time to stop and explain things to Rose and Bart either. ¡°Both of you, go first.¡± ¡°Celine!¡± Rose immediately protested. ¡°Don¡¯t think anything strange. I will follow you soon.¡± ¡°Do you want to be killed by Lord Leonhard?¡± Celine smiled bitterly. Rose wouldn¡¯t know that she was on point. ¡°It¡¯s not like that. Never mind me, both of you get out of here quickly.¡± When Rose and Bart stopped walking instead of answering, Celine¡¯s heart pounded. If they didn¡¯t move quickly, they¡¯d run into Leonhard, who was quickly chasing them. At least they were able to get away with this much because Rose moved and erased their traces at the same time. But, this was Leonhard? Finding their traces would be as easy as breathing for him. ¡°You, you promised.¡± Her lips trembled and she couldn¡¯t get her words out. ¡°That¡¯s¡­ because I thought there must be something other than Lord Leonhard.¡± There was a hint of sadness in Rose¡¯s voice. ¡°Tell me, Celine. Can you fight Lord Leonhard?¡± ¡°¡­.¡± Celine couldn¡¯t answer. ¡°Sending us off first and staying here is no different than saying you¡¯re going to fight Lord Leonhard.¡± ¡°¡­I¡¯m not trying to fight.¡± ¡°Then?¡± Rose urged her to answer, but Celine heard Leonhard¡¯s presence before she opened her mouth. They started running toward the entrance again. Celine mechanically moved her legs and tried to think positively. ¡®To send them up first at the entrance¡­ I can start from scratch. That might be more comfortable.¡¯ However, it wasn¡¯t long before Celine noticed how naive her thoughts were. Even though they passed all the sections Rose had marked, the door they came in and the stairs they came down were nowhere to be seen. ¡°Why is the entrance, ha, not coming out?¡± Rose gasped for breath. ¡°We didn¡¯t miss any mark.¡± Bart answered in an incomprehensible voice. Celine bit her lip. ¡®It¡¯s the stage¡­¡¯ She herself had no intention of escaping through the entrance, but the sage did not seem to think so. Seeing how it changed the normal maze so that even Bart and Rose couldn¡¯t get out. ¡°Don¡¯t worry. There must be another way.¡± Fortunately, Celine¡¯s bizarrely confident tone seemed to work this time. ¡°¡­Is it a prophecy?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± As Celine nodded her head, Rose gave her a slight push on the back. ¡°Then, take the lead.¡± It was what she wanted. Celine moved instinctively. Of course, she met several dead ends, but her legs in Hermes¡¯ shoes did not tire. Fortunately, Rose and Bart followed her well without complaining as she made it her goal to continue moving in one direction only. The maze in the game looked complicated at first glance, but she didn¡¯t have to memorize every section to clear it. All roads eventually lead to one exit. Therefore, finding a way in a maze itself was meaningless. Celine ran and ran. Fortunately, Bart, who had excellent physical strength befitting a knight commander, and even Rose was not far behind her. It was true that it looked a bit daunting, but considering that Celine was wearing ¡®Hermes shoes,¡¯ the two¡¯s endurance was amazing. It was when she fell into a half-trance. ¡°¡­.?¡± Suddenly, a cliff appeared. Celine clutched her chest, which was about to jump out of surprise, and slid off the edge of her precipice. ¡°This¡­¡± Bart muffled his words in a dumbfounded voice. His face turned as pale as a sheet of paper when he confirmed that it was a cliff with an endless abyss. Even more shocking was the fact that they couldn¡¯t even see the other end of the cliff. ¡®What to do¡­¡¯ A cold sweat trickled. This was a situation she had never seen before in the game. ¡®If I build a bridge and cross it¡­¡¯ Rose was one step faster than Celine. In an instant, a bridge made of iron stretched endlessly from where they stood into the air. ¡°¡­.!¡± Rose¡¯s eyes widened. Celine looked at it with uneasiness. It seemed that her bad premonition would not be wrong this time either. ¡°There is nothing on the other side.¡± Celine gulped. If they couldn¡¯t cross this cliff, the only option was to turn back. Though if they did, they would run into Leonhard. At the thought, she glanced down at the precipice and at the great abyss that faced her. ¡®¡­.¡¯ If she was alone, she would have thought of throwing herself down there. However, she couldn¡¯t go on such an adventure with Rose and Bart. While thinking about it, Leonhard¡¯s presence came closer and closer. The sound of her heart beating echoed in her ears. Celine closed her eyes tightly and gathered her magic. She had no intention of confronting Leonhard openly. It was enough to give Rose and Bart time to escape. ¡°¡­Celine.¡± Rose quietly called her name. ¡°I¡¯ll face it somehow, so run away.¡± ¡°Stop talking nonsense.¡± Celine was a little startled and replied. ¡°Can you fight the Lord Leonhard?¡± ¡°¡­It¡¯s the same with Rose.¡± ¡°That¡¯s not what I meant.¡± Rose shook her head. ¡°Can you attack him?¡± ¡°¡­.¡± Celine bit her lip. Rose stabbed her to the core. She¡¯d have to deal a heavy blow to Leonhard to get what she wanted. It didn¡¯t seem like there would be other way, but even if there was, it was unclear whether she would be able to use it. ¡ªThump. A dull footsteps echoed. Her chest tightened. Leonhard was coming towards her, to cut her. Leonhard couldn¡¯t clear his confused mind the whole time he was chasing Celine. ¡®What on earth do I want to do¡­¡¯ When he met her, he couldn¡¯t even think of what to do. His instinct to pursue Celine moved his legs. ¡®¡­How fast it was.¡¯ Leonhard chased after Celine at full speed, but the gap between him and Celine did not close at all. No, it even increased. Because the alley he chased after seeing Celine¡¯s figure ended up being a dead end. The whole maze felt like it was helping her escape. Still, it didn¡¯t make sense for him to miss a warlock in an isolated space. Finally. Leonhard encountered Celine and the other warlocks at a dead end. ¡®¡­.?¡¯ He frowned. He thought it was a dead end as the hesitated and couldn¡¯t go forward, but there was an endless space behind Celine. However, for whatever reason they stopped, it didn¡¯t matter to him. Leonhard slowly approached them like a beast seeking prey. ¡°Lord Leonhardt!¡± ¡°¡­.? Leonhard¡¯s mouth fell open. No matter how distraught he was, he could not forget this voice. It was the voice of Carpathia¡¯s leader. ¡°Bart¡­?¡± ¡°Lord Leonhard, can you recognize me?¡± There was a glimmer of hope in Bart¡¯s voice. ¡°Why are you with the warlocks!¡± Leonhard exclaimed in great bewilderment. ¡°No matter what they say, they are warlocks. Come here quickly!¡± This time it was Bart¡¯s turn to be puzzled. ¡°Lord Leonhard, do you think Lute Celine¡­ is a warlock?¡± ¡°¡­Can¡¯t you see it.¡± Leonhard gritted his teeth. Right now, the person who wanted it to be a mere illusion more than anyone else was himself. Nonetheless, his five senses shouted that Celine Hunt had become a warlock. ¡°Lord, you¡¯re mistaken¡­¡± ¡°Get out of the way.¡± Leonhard ordered. ¡®I¡­ I was foolish.¡¯ When he saw Bart, who was deluded by the warlock and couldn¡¯t come to his senses, he realized the weakness in a corner of his heart. ¡®I thought Celine might be different¡­¡¯ Read latest Chapters at WuxiaWorld.Site Only Instead of attacking her, he pursued Celine, who fled from him. For a very brief moment, he expected that humanity may remain in Celine. However, it was clear that she had become a warlock who deceived people and destroyed life, befitting a warlock. Leonhard took out Rashir, which felt as heavy as lead. A bluish light filled the aisle, revealing Celine¡¯s pale face. __ Chapter 96 Chapter 96 Leonhard pressed forward, clutching Rashir tightly. Not only was Rashir burdening him, but his own legs felt as if they were weighed down by heavy bags. If it weren¡¯t for Bart¡¯s presence, his steps would have been even slower. However, as Bart appeared unexpectedly, albeit in Leonhard¡¯s opinion that it was under Celine¡¯s strong influence, he couldn¡¯t ignore the situation any longer. ¡°Leonhard.¡± Celine¡¯s voice came, but Leonhard ignored it. It was something he had done so many times that he couldn¡¯t count it anymore. Some of them were close, like Mathias. Celine was no different from them¡­ At the thought, he swung Rashir, ignoring his tightening heart. ¡ªChaeng. The broken blade fell to the ground. It was Bart¡¯s sword. Leonhard blinked his eyes. Meanwhile, Bart was trying to confront him with a determined face, holding a half-cut knife. Even though he was a little startled, it was not enough to be dazzled. Then, Leonhard pushed Bart roughly and headed towards Celine. Since the enchanted ones would revert to normal when the warlock died, so he had no intention of hurting Bart. ¡°Lute, go!¡± Bart shouted, blocking Leonhard with his body. ¡°What are you doing now?!¡± ¡°Lord Leonhard, please kill me. If you kill Lute¡­ Lord Leonhard will never be able to forgive yourself.¡± ¡°I have no intention of killing you.¡± Leonhard answered firmly. This wasn¡¯t the first time a warlock had done this, and he was used to dealing with it. He just needed to kill the warlock as quickly and efficiently as possible. Just then, the cry of another warlock, not Celine, was heard. ¡°Commander, stop! That person is not Lord Leonhard!¡± ¡°Go, both of you!¡± Leonhard was taken aback. The situation now was a bit difficult to understand. Bart was now misled by the warlock, so he was doing what they wanted. However, why did that warlock look like she was trying to convince him? There was only one possibility. It was not that warlock, but another warlock who had misled Bart. ¡®¡­It¡¯s Celine.¡¯ A heartbreaking realization astounded Leonhard. ¡­The warlock who misled Bart was Celine. ¡°Commander!¡± Rose shouted at Bart, but Bart didn¡¯t budge. ¡°Rose, we have to go!¡± ¡°Are you saying you want to throw away Commander Bart?¡± ¡°¡­Leonhard will not kill him.¡± ¡°Celine, how many times do I have to tell you? That person is not Lord Leonhard!¡± Celine begged urgently. ¡°Listen to me this time. That is Leonhard¡­¡± There was no more time to delay. Although Bart gave them a long time, there must be a limit to that. When Leonhard¡¯s patience lasted, they had to keep their distance from him as far as possible. Fortunately, Rose seemed to realize something. ¡°He doesn¡¯t hurt the commander.¡± ¡°Because it¡¯s Leonhardt.¡± ¡°¡­All right.¡± One word was enough. Celine ran with all her might to the other side of the cliff. After a while, she felt that her memories was slowly coming back. ¡®Right, these patterns came out¡­¡¯ On the walls of the maze, intricate patterns without a clear shape flickered. The more they ran, the more complex the patterns became. The maze stage in [ Celine¡¯s Nightmare ] was also like this. Her heart started pounding. ¡®I¡¯m on my way.¡¯ Now, Rose was clearly lagging behind Celine. She was heartbroken, but she couldn¡¯t afford to care. ¡®I have to clear the stage as quickly as possible¡­!¡¯ Leonhard was now moving not by his own will. So if she cleared the stage, he would be freed, but he could have suffered irreparable damage before that. Celine ran. ¡­To save him, even if it was just a few seconds faster. It seemed that even ¡®Hermes¡¯ shoes¡¯ had run out of power before she knew it, her breath was rapid and the soles of her feet felt seemed like they were burning. Still, she couldn¡¯t slow down her run at all. ¡°Celine¡­!¡± It was more like a scream than a cry. Celine¡¯s body staggered greatly. ¡®Rose?¡¯ Celine reluctantly stopped and looked back. She wanted to run, ignoring it, but she couldn¡¯t ignore Rose calling her anxiously. ¡°¡­.!¡± Her heart fluttered Rose, half-rolling on the floor, grabbed her ankle. Her ankle, which was strangely bent even by its appearance, seemed difficult to restore with any magic. ¡°Hu, hurry¡­..Go.¡± ¡°¡­What are you talking about?¡± ¡°I should have held it in¡­ I¡¯m sorry. Run away Celine. Hurry.¡± ¡°¡­Rose.¡± Celine shook her head and pulled a little vial from her chest. ¡°This¡­?¡± ¡°Drink it.¡± Rose widened her eyes in surprise, but without even a moment to question what it was, she didn¡¯t refuse. Hastily uncapping the vial, she quickly downed its contents. The effect was immediate. ¡°¡­.!¡± Rose turned her ankles around with a face of disbelief. ¡°Are you okay?¡± ¡°Celine, this is¡­¡± ¡°There is no time.¡± Celine cut off all of her questions with a single word. They wandered long enough to picture the entire structure of the maze in her mind. Fortunately, unexpected situations such as cliffs did not happen anymore by the time both of them were exhausted and just ran without saying a word. ¡®It¡¯s over, it¡¯s over¡­¡¯ Celine knew that the stage clear was just around the corner. Elaborate patterns adorned the walls, floors, and ceilings of the aisles. They constantly shifted and transformed, displaying an array of vibrant colors that even seemed to dazzle her eyes. She slowed her run. ¡®¡­Will the stage be cleared by me so easily?¡¯ She had to be extremely vigilant from now on. ¡°Something is strange.¡± Rose, who had found her composure now, murmured. ¡°What?¡± ¡°I don¡¯t know? It¡¯s definitely magic¡­ I don¡¯t feel any magic power.¡± ¡°Ah.¡± Celine didn¡¯t give much of an answer and just shut her mouth. She had no confidence in herself to look around. ¡°It obviously has something to do with Lord Leonhard doing that¡­¡± Rose¡¯s words stopped. It was a dead end. ¡°We have to go back.¡± ¡°¡­.¡± Celine didn¡¯t answer. Something was wrong. ¡®I¡¯ve come this far, but it¡¯s a dead end?¡¯ They continued running along an uninterrupted, straight pathway for a considerable time. Turning back at this point would inevitably lead them back to Leonhard. Moreover, the ever-changing patterns that surrounded them reassured her that she was on the right path, as they didn¡¯t indicate any signs of being off course. ¡®By any way¡­¡¯ Celine put her hand on the wall in front of them and gathered her magic. ¡®As expected.¡¯ Behind the wall, it was empty. Celine focused her mind, attempting to bring down the entire wall, but despite her efforts, it only trembled slightly without showing any signs of cracking. Rose, understanding the situation without needing any explanation, approached and placed her hand on the wall, but the outcome remained unchanged. ¡°I guess we should go back.¡± Celine put her hand inside instead of answering. She had Ringzor. As Rose quietly nodded her head, she hit Ringzor against the wall. The walls started cracking right away. ¡®It¡¯s done¡­!¡¯ She tightened her grip on Ringzor. After just a few seconds, the wall that had firmly blocked their way was shattered and scattered at their feet. Again, the seemingly endless passage stretched out. The two started running again. ¡°Lord, what are you doing now!¡± Bart yelled at Leonhard, who was trying to get away from him and chase Celine and Rose. ¡°¡­.¡± However, all that came from Leonhardt was a cold gaze. He pursed his lips as if he wanted to say something, but then he sighed. ¡°Lord Leonhard!¡± Nonetheless, Bart ran towards him, who was rapidly moving away. Now, Leonhard didn¡¯t even look at him. Instead, he lightly scoured the floor with Rashir. ¡°¡­.!¡± Blue flames soared from the ground to the ceiling. Bart knew that if he tried to walk through the flames, nothing would be left of his bones. ¡®Lord¡­¡¯ Bart scolded himself while staring blankly at Leonhard¡¯s back blurring through the burning flames. ¡®What are you doing, Bart?¡¯ He turned and started running in the opposite direction. He had to call people to stop Leonhard before he made a mistake that would eat away at himself. ¡®¡­It¡¯s taking too long.¡¯ Leonhard thought as he mechanically pursued Celine and Rose. He knew the speed Celine was running at. She had gotten faster since wearing the shoes, but she was still on par with him. It wasn¡¯t to the point where the distance wouldn¡¯t be narrowed this far. He closed his eyes for a moment and focused his mind. He couldn¡¯t have pursued her so ignorantly. Besides, the magic of a warlock would, of course, leave traces. If he followed the trail¡­ ¡®¡­.?¡¯ Leonhard frowned. ¡®¡­What?¡¯ There was no warlock magic anywhere. Instead¡­ ¡®Celine.¡¯ Leonhard¡¯s face contorted. It was because Celine¡¯s magic was all over. For a moment, the thought that Bart might be right crossed his mind, but he shook his head vigorously. ¡®It can¡¯t be.¡¯ Celine fell from the tower, and in the time it took for her to meet him, she became a warlock. These traces must have been left by her before she became a warlock. ¡°Ah¡­¡± Leonhard groaned softly. He was in pain just thinking about it. ¡®¡­It¡¯s because of me.¡¯ He clenched his fists. He couldn¡¯t help her in that strange tower. Even after Celine fell here, he couldn¡¯t find her, which helped her become a warlock. ¡®Still, I have to stop it.¡¯ Still, he had to stop her because no one else would be able to stop Celine. An infinitely resilient warlock. Leonhard¡¯s pupils wavered. If he couldn¡¯t subdue Celine now, sooner or later, he would die in vain from her. Then, he started running again at the thought. He had wasted too much time in a useless way. ¡®At last¡­!¡¯ Celine¡¯s heart swelled and fluttered with hope. At the end of the passage they reached, a strange green torch was burning. ¡®There.¡¯ How much did she struggle to get here? After that, walls appeared to block their path, she had to break them down with Ringzor, terrified that Leonhard was getting closer by the minute. But now, everything was over. ¡®Please wait a moment, Leonhard.¡¯ Finally reaching the end, she gulped and picked up the torch. ¡®¡­.?¡¯ Celine panicked and dropped the torch. ¡­Nothing happened! ¡°Celine?¡± Rose asked with a more flustered face than Celine was, but Celine just talked gibberish. ¡°Thi-this, if you touch this¡­ a road is created¡­¡± Her head stopped, and she couldn¡¯t think of anything. Read latest Chapters at WuxiaWorld.Site Only ¡ªStomp. Celine raised her head. It was Leonhard. __ Chapter 97 Chapter 97 Leonhard gritted his teeth. Walking towards Celine felt like treading barefoot on burning coals. Each step was accompanied by excruciating pain, despite there being no physical obstacles in his way. Still, there was no other way as warlocks were destined to vanish. ¡®Celine¡­¡¯ He didn¡¯t even realize that he had cut his mouth from clenching his teeth so much. All he could feel was the heartless reality of her being a warlock. Meanwhile, Celine and the other warlocks looked at him, their eyes wide open. ¡®Did she think she would be able to escape?¡¯ Even that thought was Celine-like. Leonhard attempted to gather his thoughts, but it proved futile. Just a few hours ago, if he had to weigh her well-being against the empire, he would have chosen her without a moment¡¯s hesitation. The emotions that continued to assault his heart made it nearly impossible to find calm. His gaze remained fixed, as if in a daze, upon Celine¡¯s lips, which moved slowly. Although he couldn¡¯t hear her words, the shape they formed left no doubt as to what she was saying ¡ª Leonhard. As his hand holding Rahir trembled slightly, Leonhard used his last remaining self-control to hide his fluctuating emotions and keep his expression cold. He could not let the warlock notice his agitation. ¡®That is¡­ not Celine.¡¯ He slowly took an attacking stance. In just a few seconds, he would strike Celine¡­ Leonhard¡¯s movements stopped for a moment. ¡®It¡¯s that warlock.¡¯ The warlock standing beside Celine, someone vaguely familiar whose name escaped Leonhardt¡¯s memory, recoiled in fear, taking a step back. ¡®¡­That¡¯s a relief.¡¯ He did not hesitate. ¡°Ah!¡± Although the warlock attempted to flee, they couldn¡¯t entirely evade his strike. He relentlessly launched one attack after another. While encountering a situation with two warlocks was a rarity for him, it was common sense in battle to prioritize eliminating the weaker adversary first. In an ironic twist, he found himself expressing gratitude toward the warlock. If it weren¡¯t for this person¡­ he would have had no choice but to direct his aggression towards Celine. Had Leonhard been in possession of his rational mind, he might have noticed the contradiction in his thoughts. However, circumstances had pushed Leonhardt to the brink of obsessive madness. ¡°Rose!¡± Celine hurriedly shouted and pulled Rose back. ¡°Are you okay?¡± ¡°¡­.¡± Rose exhaled heavily but didn¡¯t answer. Even though she didn¡¯t say anything, she looked like she was in very bad shape. Celine¡¯s heart pounded in nervousness, and she felt like she was about to die. The stage that was supposed to be over was not over, and Leonhard still mistook her for a warlock. To make matters worse, even Rose fell into this state. ¡°¡­Let¡¯s avoid him.¡± Celine hid Rose behind the pillar, out of reach of Leonhard¡¯s attack. ¡®¡­What to do.¡¯ Her heart pounded. Even now, Leonhard was slowly approaching them. Although she tried to check the situation, her eyes met Leonhard¡¯s. In that moment, she realized. ¡®¡­I have to attack.¡¯ Right now, the only way to save Rose was to buy time, fighting Leonhard. She couldn¡¯t afford to hesitate for long. ¡°Rose. Listen to me, I¡­I¡¯ll fight Leonhardt to buy time so run away in the meantime. Can you do that?¡± Instead of responding verbally, Rose acknowledged with a slight nod. Celine then took out Ringzor arms and grabbed it the next moment. The blade, which she had become so familiar with that she could wield it accurately even with her eyes closed, now felt foreign in her hands. She knew why. Ringzor was the sword bestowed upon her by Leonhardt as a gift from the Emperor. Though now, she had to attack him with the weapon he himself had given her. ¡®¡­Ah.¡¯ Her eyes reddened. She really didn¡¯t want to attack him, but the other road was a dead end. There was no further escape. ¡®Leonhard, I¡¯m sorry.¡¯ Celine bit her lip. At the same time as she could taste her blood, RIngzor emitted a bluish light. Leonhard froze for a moment. ¡®¡­What?¡¯ Celine was evacuating the other warlock. It was impossible because the most important thing to warlocks was themselves. At that moment, a vain hope began to bloom that there might still be the Celine he knew¡­ There hadn¡¯t been a single warlock who had returned so far, but she may be the only one in the world. However, his heart hardened the moment Celine pulled Ringzor towards him. Ringzor exuded a dark aura unique to warlocks. Leonhard blinked. He shouldn¡¯t have been seduced any longer. Right then. Celine came towards him. The moment Celine attacked Leonhard, Rose desperately tried to move her body. ¡®I have to move¡­!¡¯ However, her efforts were futile, and only her fingers wriggled. Even as a cold sweat ran through her body, she couldn¡¯t even move her arm to wipe it off. ¡®¡­Why, why?¡¯ Tears flowed from her eyes. As soon as Leonhard attacked her a moment ago, her body froze and did not move properly. She wasn¡¯t completely immobilized from the beginning. While barely able to avoid his attack, she gradually slowed down and could not even lift a finger. She also considered the possibility of a colorless, odorless poison. However, Leonhard and Celine looked too normal. ¡®¡­I have to move.¡¯ Rose stopped thinking about it and threw all her energy into moving her body. Celine was fighting against Leonhard to allow her to go. It certainly wouldn¡¯t last long. ¡®I did it!¡¯ After a long time, Rose could barely get herself up. She leaned, dragging her body against the wall. If she moved recklessly, Celine, who was enduring Leonhardt¡¯s attack, would be in danger. ¡®¡­.?¡¯ Rose¡¯s eyes widened as she raised her head to check the situation. ¡®Celine¡­?¡¯ Celine Hunt was fighting Leonhard Bernoulli without being pushed back. Their movements were fluid and they constantly changed positions, but none showed signs of exhaustion. She followed Celine¡¯s movements, even holding her breath. Ringzor, whose blue flames had risen, hit Rashir hard. A fire broke out immediately in Rashir as well, engulfing Celine and rising from the floor to the ceiling. ¡®Celine¡­!¡¯ Her heart stopped for a moment. However, in the blink of an eye, the flames subsided and Celine didn¡¯t seem to be hurt even on a single hair. She corrected Ringzor and charged at Rashir again. ¡®¡­.?¡¯ Rose realized something was wrong. Having spent considerable time teaching Celine, she had a thorough understanding of her capabilities. Yet, her movements now exceeded what she had previously witnessed in terms of agility and strength. She also noticed that Leonhard was not going easy on Celine at all. Although his movements lacked a clear intention to kill, he exhibited a calculated efficiency in his attempts to subdue his opponent. His aim seemed to be to incapacitate Celine by targeting her limbs. Nevertheless, Celine effortlessly countered each of his attacks with ease. ¡®In such a short time, to this extent¡­¡¯ At the time, Rose thought she had identified Celine¡¯s weakness. What an arrogant thought that was. Now, if Celine seriously attacked her, she would not have the confidence to endure it properly for ten minutes or so. ¡®¡­Maybe I can be of some help.¡¯ However, as soon as Rose tried to raise her body to help Celine, she fell to her knees on the floor. Her whole body couldn¡¯t move properly again. A cold sweat broke out again. ¡®Why¡­?!¡¯ She gritted her teeth, but the situation did not change at all. ¡ª Thud. She fell flat on the floor. Celine, half in a trance, moved Ringzor nonstop. Wherever she swung, the magic wriggled and she deliberately poured more magic toward Leonhard. ¡®Recognize me, Leonhard.¡¯ However, her earnest prayers were of no avail. Unaware of the true nature of the magic being employed, Leonhard remained oblivious to the fact that it was not tainted by darkness as he was strongly influenced by the stage. Instead, his expression contorted, seemingly indicating that Celine¡¯s increasing use of magic was causing him great discomfort. However, amidst it all, Celine couldn¡¯t sense any malice or intent to kill in Leonhard¡¯s relentless attacks upon her. A groan rose from her chest. ¡®¡­Leonhard has no intention of killing me.¡¯ She bit her lip. His movements as if they were sparring, but he didn¡¯t control his power at all. During their casual sparring session, Leonhard was always cautious, ensuring that she would not be harmed. This stark contrast was daunting enough. ¡®¡­Leonhard.¡¯ Unless the stage ends, there was absolutely no possibility that he would escape from the stage¡¯s influence. But Leonhard, who was mistaking her for a warlock because of the stage, made Celine¡¯s hand tremble. ¡®¡­.!¡¯ Her blue-gray eyes twinkled in fear. It was a very fleeting moment, but both Celine and Leonhard could feel it. ¡­He knew that she had a gap. Despair filled Celine. The tight balance between the two was over now, and he was not one to miss a chance. Even though she tried to defend herself, it was too late. Still, she never gave up until the last moment she tried to fend off Leonhardt¡¯s attacks and attack him again. ¡ª Crash! With the sound of something breaking in her, Celine froze. Red blood soaked the backs of her hands, her arms, and even her entire body. Leonhard fell heavily into her arms. ¡°Le, Leonhard¡­?¡± Celine called him in a bewildered voice, not yet able to grasp the situation properly. ¡°Leonhard!¡± She couldn¡¯t understand what the hell was happening. Why wasn¡¯t she stabbed, why Leonhard didn¡¯t defend against her attack¡­ Regardless, none of this mattered at all. As she carefully laid him down, blood continued to flow from the chest where Ringzor had been lodged a moment ago. ¡®Healing Potion¡­!¡¯ Celine groped her arms. As soon as she squeezed into her pouch, where she had apparently kept the healing potion, her hands were soaked with cold liquid, not blood. Goosebumps ran through her whole body. With her trembling hands, Celine pulled out the pouch that had been holding the healing potion. It was now drenched with the spilled contents. In that moment, a sudden realization struck her with force. In the first place, Leonhard hadn¡¯t actually aimed to harm her. His attack had deliberately missed her vital areas and instead struck the pocket where she always kept the healing potion. It was then¡­ Leonhard¡¯s eyes flashed open, and he pulled her with strange force. His lips moved slowly, forming a single word with great difficulty. ¡°Celine.¡± Read latest Chapters at WuxiaWorld.Site Only His blue eyes were talking in silence. You¡¯re back. From warlock to my Celine. __